travelling with a newborn

kaceandpoint

Our baby is due in June, we'll be going to a 4th of july family reunion 2 to 3 hours away and travelling with my parents (I know it will take much longer than 2 hours with the baby), and then later in July we're supposed to go to North Caroline ( we live in connecticut) for my niece's christening. my question is, since im planning on breastfeeding, can i pump some bottles and keep them at room temperature and feed her like that, or does it have to be warmer than that for the baby. for the record, im not talking about pumping a bunch for the whole trip at once, but like a few bottles at a time. also any travel tips would be helpful. thank you

kjem182

I asked about this at my breastfeeding class, as dh might want to take the baby out for the day and I would want to send him with some bottles.  I was told breastmilk is good for about 6 hours at room temp.  She didn't say anything about having to heat it up if it was refrigerated, so I don't know about that, but I'll ask my dula friend for you!

kjem182

Ok-she said most babies won't take milk cold, but you can certainly try.  Then she gave me this site to go and read:  https://kellymom.com/

Hope this helps! 

jc0n15

I have a summer home 2 hours away and will be going up there for the 4th of July. I never really thought much of this, my plan was to just feed to baby right before we left and pray that there was no traffic and he/she slept the whole way.

cchill01

You want to keep the bottles cold or frozen until you're ready to use them.  If you keep them refrigerated at a consistent temperature, you're good for ~7 days.  If they're in a cooler that you're opening and closing, you have considerably less time.  I probably wouldn't keep them more than 2 days. 

When you're ready to use them, then you can bring them to room temperature.  I believe they make bottle warmers that plug into the car charger, if your baby will only take warm bottles.  Just to warn you though, many babies are NOT good at taking a bottle early on.  My DD refused to take one if DH or I was around.  She was completely fine at daycare. 

Also, don't think you can just give baby a bottle while still in the car seat, so you don't have to stop.  Many babies need to be on strict burping regiments or need to be changed at the same time as they eat.  My DD had a BM every single time she ate, for like the first 2 months.

But on a positive note - nursing in the car is super easy.  It gives a whole new definition to backseat action.

mylittlesunshine

DD was EBF and we started driving 2.5 hours to see my parents when she was about 3 weeks old. I would usually nurse right before we took off and hoped that she would sleep for the car ride (which 9 times out of 10 she would scream). If not, we would pull over and I would nurse her or when she was a little older I would pump into a bottle beforehand that she could drink as we were driving. PP was right that it is fine they drink room temp milk (within the time limit).

SweetHurricane

I would plan on BFing in the back seat of the car (pulled over, of course). You're not going to have much of a stash, if any, built up after only a couple weeks. Also, like PP said, you will have to change LOs diaper after every meal. I'd plan on stopping every 1.5 hours.

Horsey322

I traveled w/ DD at only 2 wks and I would just pull over and bf at rest area.  No biggie 

Asquared

I did a *normally* 3 hour drive w/ my first when she was 3 weeks old- I didn't worry about a pump- we just stopped about once an hour and a half and fed, changed her- wasn't bad.  She started crying about 10 minutes before we got to the cabin, but other than that did great.