Transporting breast milk

kesrya

In a few weeks, I will be taking my first trip away from the baby since he was born.  He is 5 1/2 months and has only BM - we won't even try solids until after the trip when I'm back home.  I'm going to the beach with my girlfriends - about a 3 1/2 - 4 hour drive away.  So, obviously I am going to bring my electric pump and do a lot of pumping while I am gone.  Question - is it worth saving and trying to transport back home?  I don't really have a "supply" -- in fact, I haven't even built up enough at this point to be gone the entire 3 day weekend.  So the supply I do have I am certain will be completely used up by my husband while I am gone.  Should I just dump what I pump?  Should I pump and keep it in the fridge and transport back in a cooler?  Should I freeze it and transport back in the cooler?  We are staying a friend's house - so storage while I'm there is not a problem.

Along those lines, I am going to visit my family this Thur - Monday, and they too live 3 - 4 hour car drive away.  Can I work on building my supply while I am there and bring it home in the cooler, then freeze it once I get home?

Luv2Run1st

yes. i got a fridge to go cooler to bring milk back from a weekend trip to vegas. takes planning but i couldnt stand the thought of pumping and dumping

dashtwins

don't waste it! it's so easy to transport. Just store them in the fridge and put them in a cooler to take home. Freeze the oldest if you're there longer then 5 days and can keep them frozen from the trip home. 

kesrya

Thanks ladies - I can't stand the idea of pumping and dumping either.  I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be a problem having it cool, and then having it warm up slightly in the cooler on the way home, and then putting it back in the fridge.  But I have a medela travel cooler - which keeps it pretty darn cold, so I will use that!