WWYD traveling with baby...

sbwinsor

In October my DH, LO, and I will be flying out to CA for a week. MY DH's parents live out there and I'm a bit concerned about my BM supply. I did buy a manual breastpump for when I may need to pump, but I am unsure as to handle the storage of my BM. Do I just not pump that week??

Any advice for this would be greatly appreciated!

ShadyKull

I think we need more information. Why are you concerned about your BM supply? LO will be with you, right? So if you breastfeed, just feed him/her as usual. Then you shouldn't really have to do any pumping. If you exclusively pump, just keep pumping and feeding LO. Where are you staying, in a hotel? Most hotels have mini fridges to keep the BM temporarily if needed. If you are staying with DH's parents, you can keep it in their fridge, right?

sbwinsor

 Usually 1 side is enough for LO and yes, he'll be with me. Do I just forgo pumping that entire week? We are staying at DH's parents for the majority of the stay- minus 1 or 2 nights in a hotel. I am hoping that by not pumping (if I consider that option), that it doesn't mess with my milk supply if I have been pumping and BFing every day.

ShadyKull:

I think we need more information. Why are you concerned about your BM supply? LO will be with you, right? So if you breastfeed, just feed him/her as usual. Then you shouldn't really have to do any pumping. If you exclusively pump, just keep pumping and feeding LO. Where are you staying, in a hotel? Most hotels have mini fridges to keep the BM temporarily if needed. If you are staying with DH's parents, you can keep it in their fridge, right?

PippaLee33

I EBF and LO usually only takes one side at a time but I don't pump the other side and my supply is fine.  The only time I pump is first thing in the am because the other side is very uncomfortable.  If LO is with you and you are feeding on demand I don't see why you would need to pump.  

AmzDubb

I would breastfeed and pump as usual. If you don't have a way to store your excess, just dump it. I wouldn't want to forgo pumping and risk mastitis. I'm going on a trip driving not flying next week, and this is my plan :

sbwinsor

I'd be very leary of dumping it! I did read that there would be a possibility of over-nighting it through the mail or something....

Maybe I won't pump as much and be able to bring it home with me.....

So many options!

 

AmzDubb:

I would breastfeed and pump as usual. If you don't have a way to store your excess, just dump it. I wouldn't want to forgo pumping and risk mastitis. I'm going on a trip driving not flying next week, and this is my plan :

aprilsarahjune

sbwinsor:

I'd be very leary of dumping it! I did read that there would be a possibility of over-nighting it through the mail or something....

Maybe I won't pump as much and be able to bring it home with me.....

So many options!

AmzDubb:

I would breastfeed and pump as usual. If you don't have a way to store your excess, just dump it. I wouldn't want to forgo pumping and risk mastitis. I'm going on a trip driving not flying next week, and this is my plan :

Why are you leary of dumping it?  Are you building up a supply so that you stop BFing early and still feed breast milk or because you are going to be apart from baby for a while on a future trip? 

 I had to pump and dump while I was at an out of town wedding for 2 days (the milk would have had to travel with me by ferry and then for a 5 hour car trip, not to mention the issue of storing at the hotel).  I didn't want to dump it at first because of the hard work pumping is, but honestly, it was no big deal.  I understand your trepidation, but if it is an issuing of saving it for an undetermined time down the road, it is not worth it to save it.

MrsG071809

If LO is with you, can you just give a bottle every now and then to use the pumped milk?  

 I would think, though, that you could just nurse as usual and your supply will be fine without also pumping.  If you notice you are getting engorged you could just pump a little to relieve the pressure?

DD only nurses on one side, but during the week at work I pump both sides 2x a day.  On the weekends, when I don't pump, I don't have any issues, and by Monday my supply is just fine. 

iumegan716

You can fly pretty easily with EBM.  We went to FL in May and I pumped every night as usual.  I stored the milk in storage bags in the fridge while we were there and then packed them in a gallon size ziploc inside a gallon size ziploc with ice in it.  I took my pump as a carry on.  

When we went through security, I told them before we went through the xray that I had EBM.  The agent took it and did some special scans on each bag.  It took an extra 5 minutes and the agent was very nice about it.   

watermellens

iumegan716:

You can fly pretty easily with EBM.  We went to FL in May and I pumped every night as usual.  I stored the milk in storage bags in the fridge while we were there and then packed them in a gallon size ziploc inside a gallon size ziploc with ice in it.  I took my pump as a carry on.  

When we went through security, I told them before we went through the xray that I had EBM.  The agent took it and did some special scans on each bag.  It took an extra 5 minutes and the agent was very nice about it.   

ditto all of this - I flew last month and had BM with me and my pump and it was no big deal. 

Here's a good article about flying with babies - 

Preflight: https://www.mamasaywhat.com/flying-with-babies-toddlers-pre-flight/

Airport security: https://www.mamasaywhat.com/flying-with-babies-toddlers-airport-security/

In flight:  https://www.mamasaywhat.com/flying-with-babies-toddlers-in-flight/