Working moms who travel - help!

Dani428 · October 2013

How the heck am I supposed to juggle pumping when traveling for work? Most of the time our trips are non-stop and I don't get to a hotel until late in the evening so I'd be in a car/on a plane for hours on end. Am I seriously supposed to pump and dump in bathrooms?....yuck and I may cry dumping milk (my supply is tanking lately). I want to cry/stay at home with my baby!!!!!!

Dani428 · October 2013

Hmmm I didn't really think about a cooler bag with ice since we only do carry-on's (can I carry milk on?). Sorry i'm a little frantic about this clearly. It's hard to explain but our trips are crazy crazy crazy fast and all over the country. I guess I just don't want to leave her in the end

mittensonkittens · October 2013

Work travel while pumping is a pain, but it can be done. I've never had to dump milk. I work with mostly men and we always share rental cars, so at the start of the trip I tell them that I will need to pump every few hours. If I need to pump at the airport, they wait. If we have to delay dinner plans so I can pump, they wait. If I need to sit in the car and pump, they wait. If I need extra time to get through security at the airport with my milk, they wait. If I have to leave a meeting to pump, they cover for me. Even the single guys without kids have been cool with it all. I bring a collapsible cooler bag, big ziplocks for ice, a battery pack for the pump (in case you don't have an outlet), milk storage bags, and all the normal stuff. When I get to the facility in the morning, I poke my head into open offices until I find a woman, and then tell them I'm visiting and need a place to pump and fridge space. If they can't help, they tell me who can. At the airport I ask female employees where to go. If I have to pump in a bathroom, I stand and hold the pump. You can get a fridge in your hotel room free if you tell them you're pumping. And you can get ice at airport bars, restaurants, etc. the working moms board covers this topic all the time. Some employers will even pay for you to ship your BM home overnight with dry ice.

lancomechica · October 2013

It's my life

I carry a cooler. With storage bags and ziplocks for ice, my pump and pumping bra. I pump in family restroom lock door in airport. I use the cooler as one of my carry-ons. Welcome to the traveling pumping mom world. I never dump.

opheliainwaders · October 2013

@ms.mittens Thank you, this is SUPER helpful.

DenverBride2005 · October 2013

I also think a pump is considered a medical device so you could have a roll-aboard, a small carry-on/purse/laptop case, PLUS your pump, I believe. PPs--thanks for all the great ideas, I may be having to travel some and I was dreading possibly having to dump milk but I like the idea of shipping it overnight/frozen.

Dani428 · October 2013

OMG This is so extremely helpful I can't even tell you. Thank you ladies for ALWAYS being awesome. I'm going to go shop for a cooler batteries for my pump asap. Again - thank you so much for the thorough responses!!!!

JenniferF11 · October 2013

@dani428 I'm sorry you have to leave your little one

but I'm so happy you started this thread!

Thanks for sharing travel tips, ladies! I may also need to be traveling soon and I'm still learning about the best ways to coordinate everything.

Bmore721 · October 2013

Thank you for this thread! I return to work on Tuesday (a week early), and my boss (think Miranda from Devil Wears Prada without the fancy clothes) wants me to speak at an out of state conference next Friday. Even though she has known about this for months, she waited until last week to mention this to me. Thank god my dad is available to watch DD a few days early (he retired, and my parents need a little extra income).

I'm driving up and back in the same day bc my boss won't cover a hotel room (even though she is getting one for herself and she lives an hour closer to the conference location than I do). So, I will be away from home for over 18 hours with no place to pump or store BM except the car and conference facility bathrooms.

Despite my boss's assertions to the contrary, my employer is not family friendly. At all. This makes the decision to put in my notice really easy.

Dani428 · October 2013

Bmore721 said:
Thank you for this thread! I return to work on Tuesday (a week early), and my boss (think Miranda from Devil Wears Prada without the fancy clothes) wants me to speak at an out of state conference next Friday. Even though she has known about this for months, she waited until last week to mention this to me. Thank god my dad is available to watch DD a few days early (he retired, and my parents need a little extra income).

I'm driving up and back in the same day bc my boss won't cover a hotel room (even though she is getting one for herself and she lives an hour closer to the conference location than I do). So, I will be away from home for over 18 hours with no place to pump or store BM except the car and conference facility bathrooms.

Despite my boss's assertions to the contrary, my employer is not family friendly. At all. This makes the decision to put in my notice really easy.

That's terrible of your boss OMG

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