https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 28 Jun 2026 04:07:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243609 Thu, 23 Jul 2015 08:12:32 +0000 nicollette1189 2243609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bluebonnet: I've never had to deal with it! We don't fly often anyway. It's only a recommendation I've seen from pumping groups.</p> <p>I wasn't trying to insinuate that it was hard to get fresh milk through TSA, just less hassle usually to get frozen. :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243601 Thu, 23 Jul 2015 08:09:48 +0000 Bluebonnet 2243601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nicollette1189: Have you had a problem carrying non frozen breastmilk through TSA? I have only traveled with non-frozen breastmilk (more than a dozen times) and I've never had any problems. </p> <p>Sometimes travel logistics don't make it easy to freeze milk and I want anyone to read this thread to know that you don't have to freeze your milk to get through TSA without problems. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243595 Thu, 23 Jul 2015 08:03:39 +0000 nicollette1189 2243595@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Frozen breastmilk usually gets through TSA easier than non-frozen! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243576 Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:44:01 +0000 ms. pug 2243576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am going away for a 2 day (one overnight) trip in September with my husband for our anniversary (NYC). Since the logistics of pumping and keeping everything clean and cool would be a nightmare in NYC (we love walking everywhere and spending as much time out of our room as possible, and don't want to lug around a huge cooler) I decided I would pump and dump for the 2 days. I knew that if i was conatantly worried about germs and temperature I would not enjoy the trip and drive myself insane. I have been working my BUTT off to increase my supply and now I have been able to stash 4-7 ounces a day in the freezer. Having a bigger stash makes me feel a lot better about pumping and dumping. I always tell DH it's my "savings account" for our big trip :silly: I plan to wear a small backpack and keep my manual pump with me. since i'm dumping i dont need to worry about keeping it that clean or cool. I will use my double electric 1-2 times in the morning, probably once in the afternoon, and 1-2 times at night to prevent my supply from dropping too much. (LO will be 6 months and still EBF). I usually pump 6-7 times at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243564 Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:36:08 +0000 ms. pug 2243564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Miss Ariel: It was alyssa milano. i would have been furious. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243195 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:56:22 +0000 daniellemybelle 2243195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I traveled away from LO for 5 days when she was 9 months. I stretched out my pumping sessions so that I could enjoy my trip, so I didn't pump while traveling. I did pump a little with a hand pump on the return flight and just dumped it. I was using a hospital grade pump at home so I rented one at my destination and brought my parts. We were staying at an airbnb so I kept the milk in her freezer and then packed it in a soft cooler in my suitcase and it was still frozen solid when I got home from a 4 hour flight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243170 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:24:18 +0000 danda 2243170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I traveled to Ireland for work and neither hotel had the option of a fridge in the room, but they would put my cooler in their fridge or freezer for me. It was a pain in the butt, but do-able. If you have a choice of hotels, definitely call and find out if you can get one with kitchenette (best case as mentioned above) and if not if there is an option for fridge in your room. I've found everyone very accommodating! (I made sure to put my milk in checked luggage though because Europe isn't as mom-friendly when traveling with milk, as described above...US is great though!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2243016 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:12:44 +0000 PurplePeony 2243016@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had several business trips ranging from a couple days to a full week during DD's first year. A couple involved travel by train and a couple by plane. It was totally fine both ways.</p> <p>Pumping on a train or plane isn't super fun but can be done. I tried to avoid it as much as possible, so I pumped as close to when I had to leave for the airport as possible, even if it wasn't strictly according to my normal schedule. That usually meant I had to pump at most once while actually traveling.</p> <p>Storage-wise, most hotels have fridges they will bring to your room, even if the room doesn't usually have one. You'll need to tell them it's for medical supplies (BM is included in this definition). If you're going to be away for more than a couple days, though, I'd really recommend trying to stay at a hotel that has kitchenettes in the rooms (like a Residence Inn or similar) because they have freezers. My milk didn't keep more than about 3 days in the fridge so if I wasn't able to freeze it on longer trips, I had to dump the older stuff. When I was able to freeze it, the milk started to thaw a bit by the time I got home, but as long as it's still mostly frozen you can re-freeze without fear. I used the bags that were more thawed the next day, if possible. I think I ended up getting rid of a bag or two that I couldn't use quickly enough, but the vast majority of the milk made it home in good shape.</p> <p>TSA shouldn't give you any trouble about traveling with the milk, just tell the screener it's there when you're putting your bags on the screening belt. They may ask you to open the cooler so they can look at it, but that's it. <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/traveling-formula-breast-milk-and-juice" rel="nofollow">https://www.tsa.gov/traveling-formula-breast-milk-and-juice</a></p> <p>I know it seems daunting, but it's really not as bad as it seems. I remember stressing most about storing and transporting the milk, but the harder part was trying to find time to pump when I was off my normal schedule, in a different place with people who didn't necessarily understand why I needed breaks, etc. It was fine in the end, though, and DD was always SUPER happy to resume nursing when I got home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242987 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:57:55 +0000 snowjewelz 2242987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice on the logistics part, but of course your nursing relationship will be fine! I was never away from DD, but she went on a nursing strike for ~2 weeks on her own randomly so I had to EP for that period of time. Then things went back to normal! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242979 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:49:35 +0000 Bluebonnet 2242979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yellowbird: The cooler I used was the size of a tote bag. Similar to this: <a href="http://www.target.com/p/cooler-embark-10liter-ebony/-/A-16343711#prodSlot=medium_1_39&#038;term=soft+sided+cooler" rel="nofollow">http://www.target.com/p/cooler-embark-10liter-ebony/-/A-16343711#prodSlot=medium_1_39&#038;term=soft+sided+cooler</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242978 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:49:07 +0000 KayKay 2242978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yellowbird: not sure how big your stash is, but I was away from my then-7-month-old for 6 days in June and I just pumped and dumped. Granted I was traveling internationally, but I didn't want to deal with storing and transporting! </p> <p>As far as pumping logistics, I pumped 4x per day (she usually nurses 5) but just made sure I got approx the same amount as she was consuming per day...I estimated it'd be 28-30oz (we EBF with random bottles here and there so I had no idea what she was eating), but it ended up only being 25ish oz a day. </p> <p>You can pump on airplanes (either in your seat or in the bathroom depending on your fear level of germs). In the airport, the family bathrooms usually have outlets. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242970 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:36:04 +0000 yellowbird 2242970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bluebonnet: yay! I'm glad you were so successful. I definitely think I need a bigger cooler because I just have the small medela one. I will def transfer milk to bags because that takes up way less room.</p> <p>@Charm54: that's a good idea to have them store in a freezer for you! I will keep that in mind </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242961 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:28:03 +0000 Bluebonnet 2242961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, you will be able to keep up a nursing relationship! I've traveled several times while pumping and have been quite successful.</p> <p>If you EBF, you need to make sure your stash is large enough for you to cover bottles while you are gone.</p> <p>I traveled with a soft sided cooler. I'd store milk in bags, then put the bags in gallon ziplock bags. I'd fill quart sized ziplock bags with ice and use that to keep the milk cool. </p> <p>When I traveled I was either at conferences and could pump in my hotel room or I was working at our offices in another city (and I pumped in the mothers room). I requested a fridge in my hotel room and there was a fridge in the mothers room.</p> <p>Figure out your plan for pumping while traveling in advance. I found it easier to pump before I got on the plane and after I landed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242958 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:22:24 +0000 Charm54 2242958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yellowbird: no, but the night before I called down to front desk and asked them to freeze them for me. I picked them up the next morning before I checked out and headed to the airport </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242957 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:19:37 +0000 yellowbird 2242957@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: did your hotel have a freezer for the ice packs? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242954 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:16:45 +0000 Charm54 2242954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I EPed and went on a couple of 3 night trips wen LO was little. </p> <p>For the flying trip, I brought an empty cooler (bigger than the one that came with my Medela but not anything too massive). I also brought some ice packs. The way there they questioned me (since it was an empty cooler/ice packs), but when I told them I would be bringing breast milk back they let me take it as a carry on.</p> <p>While at the hotel, I made sure I had a fridge. Most hotels will wave any fridge fees if you tell them it is being used to store breast milk.</p> <p>I made sure I had lots of batteries and I pumped wherever was convenient. I usually pumped 4x a day at home but while I was away I only got 3 pumps in. My supply took a slight hit but recovered once I got home.</p> <p>On the way back I had a lot of milk and brought it on board with no issues at all. They asked where my baby was but didn't seem fazed when I told them she was home.</p> <p>Before I left I had printed out Canada's rules for flying with breast milk without an infant so I knew I was allowed, and had the backup ton prove it if they gave me a hard time, which fortunately they didn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242952 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:15:34 +0000 Miss Ariel 2242952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm pretty sure you are allowed to pump on a long plane at least in the us. I remember there was a celebrity recently upset because in the uk they confiscated her pumped milk as a liquid, but when the story broke they said it would have been fine in the us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/traveling-away-from-breastfed-baby-logistics#post-2242944 Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:09:20 +0000 yellowbird 2242944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ds is currently 3.5 months and ebf. He takes bottles of pumped milk while I am at work. During October/November/December I am going to be away for several overnight trips. Most likely 2 days away at a time. He will be 6-7-8 months old at the time. </p> <p>I am mostly wondering about pumping and storing milk while traveling whether it be by plane or car. What has worked for you in the past? Maybe I can make sure I have a fridge in my hotel room, but how will I tote around 30-60oz of milk while traveling!? In the car I could get a big cooler with ice, but what about travel on a plane? Will they allow me to pump on a long plane ride?</p> <p>Am I being realistic that I will be able to keep up a nursing relationship through this? </p>