Pumping and travel

DCMerged

Wrapping up my first work trip today, and pumping while traveling for work sucks even more than I anticipated! Any tips? I just had to delay my 3:00 pumping to wait to get on the train at 4:15 because I couldn't figure out how to cleanly pump in the station bathroom. That plus figuring out to time it around meeting breaks and keeping milk cold, ugh!

LeahCK

I give you credit. Atleast you're doing it!! I end up having to delay many pumpings due to meetings but just get more milk when I do pump. 

I have found 2 schedules if something throws me off. I usually do 9, 12 and 3 (getting 5 oz each) but if something throws me off I can do 10 & 2 (getting 7.5 oz each).  

DallasHorn

What kind of tips are you looking for specifically? I am copying what I've shared before about traveling and pumping, so hopefully this helps, but is there something specific you were looking for? As far as cleaning, if you are concerned, you can bring the pump cleaning clothes. But I'll be honest...I've BF and pumped now for 43 months across my 3 kids (still nursing #3 - 11 month old) and I have simply used the airport bathroom sinks and hand soap several times and while not ideal, certainly works.

 Traveling w/ BM:
I don't like checking bags, so here's what I did. I purchased a professional ladies "bag" from Wilson's leather (about $50). It's 15" long, 12" tall and 5.5" wide. It also came with a small matching purse. Inside I am able to carry my laptop, my pump (not the whole PISA bag, just the pump), a square tupperware container (which inside has 2 sets of pump parts & tubing), 2 hardsided containers, BM storage bags, wallet, phone, magaize, black sharpie marker and a pashmina shawl. Inside my carry on suitcase, I pack very stragically - reusing pants, same shoes throughout the week, no hairdryer (use the hotel one); roll clothes instead of fold, and the purse. What I did for the milk was bring along a soft sided cooler (12 can size). At the hotel, I would fill it with ice 2x day (morning and evening) and kept the bags of milk inside on ice.  Works awesome. On the day of departure, I would pack my bag so that there is enough room that the cooler could sit inside my suitcase.  This is necessary since some TSA will require you to PROVE you can fit the cooler inside so you only effectively have 2 carryons. I position the cooler so that when I'm rolling my suitcase, the cooler is sitting right side up inside. You 'll need to pull the cooler out for TSA to inspect. Again I place the cooler inside the suitcase when it's time to board the plane (flight attendents can be a stickler about this, hence the reason I stick it inside); however when I'm on the plane, I quickly remove it before putting it in the overhead and place it under the seat in front of me along with the "professional bag".

In my experience, the "medically" necessary fridge is so tiny (as in desk top book sized) that there's no way it can hold a week's worth of milk, let alone a couple days.

Couple of other things....the pashmina - - I use not only to keep warm, but it works as a GREAT cover up when nursing in the restroom or elsewhere in public.

I bring along 2 sets of gel ice packs and have the hotel restaurant freeze them the night before departure. I keep them in the cooler with ice until when I get to the airport. Before going through security, I dump all the ice out in the restroom sink and just leave the ice packs. After clearing security, I usually get more ice from the McDonalds or whatever, but have also used just the 2 frozen ice packs just fine.

I keep all the milk in the storage bags and use the sharpie to record the date and oz info on the bag. Since I first pump into the hard containers, it makes it easy to know how much milk before putting into the bags. I keep all the milk fresh and then freeze once home so nothing spoils (I've always gone by the following: 8 hours room temp, 8 days in the fridge). I do carry the Medela cleaning clothes so that I can clean my pump parts. For two of my trips I knew I'd have access to a microwave, so I brought along the steam clean bags.

 

hannafemme

I travel 50-70% for work and am still breastfeeding my 13 month-old DS.  Here's a link to my blog post about what works for me.

 https://plantpoweredfamily.com/breastfeeding/pumping-on-the-go.html

snicksnack

I have done it and as much as it sucks I have needed to pump and dump in some situations.

 

Before going I make sure everyone I meet with knows I have to pump and leave the meeting.  There is one meeting I attend twice a year where the person who runs it makes us work through all meals so there are no breaks she is a b**** so I always make sure she knows I am going to be getting up throughout.

 

I pump into bottles and transfer the milk into  storage bags and use a sharpie to record the date and oz info on the bag. I keep all the milk fresh and then freeze once home so nothing spoils.

 

If the place has a pumping room with a sink I wash my parts throughout the day and keep in fridge overnight. If not I wash in hotel room and if they have a microwave I use the steam bags.

 

I went back to work after my second child in September and have already been on two trips.