I have to travel on business next month and will be away from my infant for 5 1/2 days. I was wondering if anyone has advice/experience with shipping breast milk or traveling with the amount I will have at the end of the week. I want to save my breastmilk and not waste it. How do you keep it cold? Can you ship it with dry ice? Do you put it with checked luggage? I think shipping it would be the easier route but wanted some suggestions and advice. Thanks!
Thanks for all the great responses! Reading what everyone had to say really helped reduce my anxiety! I was fortunate that the hotel my company put me up in had a full size refrigerator already in it. So during the day I just packed cubed ice from my fridge to keep the milk I pumped while working cold, and froze my milk once returning to my room. I froze my milk in bags laying down to maximize my collapsible cooler space. I put the cooler in my checked luggage. Because of the time of year and weather being so cold I didn't have to pack any ice packs for the plane, all of my milk stayed frozen. I had no issues with security since it was in my checked luggage (This was Southwest's policy). I had to pump while at the airport and since I had already gone through security I was able to save that milk as well. (I didn't expect it to be so hard to find an outlet in a semi-descreet place in airports!) Again thanks to everyone who responded to my request!
I don't think they allow any shipment of any liquids on planes. My poor DH had to throw away his soda even, that had never been opened. I think shipping would be better for the liquid gold. It would be devastating for them to tell you that you have throw it all away when you are going to board soon and can't make other arrangements.
I have done this several times. I ask the hotel for a fridge and they usually have the small freezer section at the top. I put gel packs in the freezer part. I bring a soft sided cooler bag to pack the milk all in for the trip home(like the lunch box size). I bag up all the milk at the end of the trip in the bags I freeze with at home.Then I put them all in another ziplock just in case.Then put the milk in the soft sided cooler surrounded by the gel packs. You may need more than one cooler since you will be gone for 5 days. Then I put the cooler in my checked luggage that way I dont have to deal with security even though you are allowed to bring milk through security. I hope this helps!
I have traveled for several days while breastfeeding and we managed this by me doing some extra pumping for a good week before leaving and freezing that and he was about 7 months old so we also started supplementing a little formula mixed with the breast milk. Now while I was actually gone I got a room with a fridge and froze what I pumped and then to get home for my 6 hours of traveling I took 2 of the freezer block things that came with my pump and between the milk being good and frozen and the freezer blocks it made it home and was still a little frozen. There was no problems with getting through security with my pump or the breast milk. Best of luck.
M.
I froze mine during the trip and then brought it with me on the plane (in a cooler with frozen gel packs). Its' been a couple of years since I had to travel/breastfeed so I would check with the airline about their policies if this is what you plan on doing. I'd be nervous about shipping that "liquid gold". =)
Wow this would be a tough one. Hope you got it figured out.
Hi there, I had to fly quite a bit and my experience was that is was easier to "power pump" ahead of time, then pump and empty while I was gone to keep up supply. I was not able to find a way to transport the milk back and was always required to empty it through security. (Had to try though...) I am sure you could go to the effort of shipping, but if you do the power pump routine you should not need to ship. Flying with liquids was difficult, even when I was with my one year old and had a bottle I was only allowed so many ounces (4oz at the time). You may want to call ahead to see if policies have changed, sometimes it lightens up over the holidays. Good luck!
Call ahead of time. 2 years ago I tried to take my milk with me and carry it on. I was not allowed to take the mild on board with me. Since I nearly had a break down and almost started crying they had me go back up to the ticket counter. I was flying southwest. A very nice manager found a box and packaged my milk for me and it had to be checked along with all other luggage. I was flying in Febraury from Chicago to KC so the milk stayed cold. I highly doubt they will allow you to carry on and if they do it will only be a small amount. Good luck!
Hi M.,
I would check with the airline. Each one seems to have their different regulations.
Best Wishes,
J. H.
Merry Christmas!
M. - I travel many times while my little guy was just born. TSA regulation allow you to take all of your milk with you (just need to let them know). I once traveled and had 120oz on my carry-on. Just make sure you get a little cooler with ice packs (they sale them at BabysRus). Also, ensure you pump as much as you would have fed your little one to make sure your supply does not go down.
I have done this many times and agree with everything Brigette responded with...it's a lot easier. The only thing I would add is that I use new water bottles (dump the water)to transport the milk in the checked bags. They are bigger and sterile and I didn't have to bring them with me. Let me know if you have any questions.
I have traveled recently (this past Aug) and had wondered the same thing. I went online (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/formula.shtm) and mothers may now fly with breastmilk without a child in tow. You need to let them know prior to going through screening that you have bags of breastmilk. When I went through JFK, they were completely understanding. Be sure to keep as normal a pumping schedule as you would have at home. Good luck!!
Start pumping now..that is the easiest advice. I pumped and traveled alot with my first. And here is what I would do.
I would stock pile the freezer for when I was gone. Then I would only keep the pumped milk that I used for the last 24 hours. At the hotel, asked that your room has a refridgerator...they should provide you with one. Put your ice packs in the freezer part and pump away. Get a late check out and keep your bags in the refridgerator.
Unfortunatley, for a long trip I would dumped alot.
I also supplimented alot but you would need to get your baby used to it before your trip. I started 3/4 part breast and 1/4 part formula...then before the trip it was 1/2 and 1/2.
And remember..what is best for mommy is best for baby. Don't stress yourself over it...have fun with it. I have some pretty funny stories!
A few summers ago I was the medical director of a summer camp and wanted to continue pumping during the time away from my baby. I did. I pumped into my normal plastic storage bags (I used Medela) and then I got a large plastic container and just put the bags of milk in the plastic container and kept them in the freezer. I called ahead to Mailbox Etc (I think that was the name of the shipping company) and I was instructed to bring in the milk in a container frozen and pick up a block of dry ice and they would "construct a cooler" and pack it and ship it. I think it cost about $50 but it was much easier than trying to carry everything on the plane. It was the middle of July and it shipped from Colorado to St. Louis and it was still frozen solid. It can be done so good luck!!
I've certainly heard of people shipping it with dry ice. I would do what sounds easier to you (but contact the airline beforehand). Buy a separate cooler just for that either to ship or put on the airplane. Certainly you don't want to have to pump and dump, but remember that the most important thing is keeping your milk supply up for your return!
K.
