Can someone recommend the best cooler and ice packs for storing pumped milk while traveling (12+ hours)? Also, I know that carrying on the milk is not a problem, but what about the ice packs? TIA!
The ice packs just need to be the "hard frozen" kind and they have to be frozen solid. If you have the gel "soft frozen" ice packs they might make you throw them away. I also always carry extra gallon sized ziplocks. That way, if they made me throw away my ice packs I could always keep refilling the ziplocks with ice to make sure the milk stays cool.
Re: Cooler & ice packs for travel?
I use this cooler (if you aren't going to have too much milk to take with you):https://www.amazon.com/Childress-MaxiCOOL-Bottle-Cooler-Black/dp/B0009RNXNK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1306869892&sr=8-7
The ice packs just need to be the "hard frozen" kind and they have to be frozen solid. If you have the gel "soft frozen" ice packs they might make you throw them away. I also always carry extra gallon sized ziplocks. That way, if they made me throw away my ice packs I could always keep refilling the ziplocks with ice to make sure the milk stays cool.
I also really like the Medela Ice Packs (only one will fit in the cooler bag I've linked to above). They stay frozen solid for a long time and are the same type that a lot of flight attendants use: https://www.amazon.com/Medela-Ice-Pack-Breastmilk-Storage/dp/B000FL5090/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1306869892&sr=8-3
I posted in another thread below about transporting frozen milk for 12+ hours. I used this cooler:
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Soft-Cooler-Case-Pack/dp/B004NO6L0C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1306871722&sr=8-4
I used 2 of these blocks (1 below the milk and 1 above the milk):
https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-1080-16-220-Blue-Block-Module/dp/B0000DH4M3/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1306871741&sr=8-8
And then 2 smaller similar-style ice blocks on the sides of the milk (milk was in the center of the cooler).
The important thing is you want as little air space as possible around the milk.
And those gel freezer packs are fine with TSA since you are transporting breastmilk.