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Pumping and traveling without LO

bennikkibennikki member
in Breastfeeding
LO #2 is due in Oct, and we have trip a planned for June 2015 for 5 days.  I'm fine with pumping with a nursing cover in the airports and vehicles, but I'm wondering if anyone could share experience/tips on shipping the milk back at the end of the trip.

Here's my plan, and please tell me if this is unrealistic:  I plan to keep my milk frozen at our rental (we have a full kitchen), then pack it into my father's Yeti Cooler (with plenty of ice), they're super durable, have a locking mechanism, double gasket, and I believe they claim to keep ice solid for 5 days.  They're made for sportsmen/women, so they're designed to be bounced around.  My dad loves them, and he has one of the smaller "picnic sized" versions.  I then plan to check the cooler as a piece of luggage.  I realize I'll have to pay a checked bag fee, and that doesn't bother me.  Does this seem like a good plan?  My other option is taking my milk to Fed/Ex or UPS, packing it in dry ice, and "over-nighting" it home.  Am I crazy to let my milk sit in the baggage compartment of an airplane?  If I produce anything like I did with DS, I pump about 30-40 oz. a day (yes, I realize it may be different this time around, but I'm just trying to be prepared), so I really don't think I'd be able to carry my milk on after 5 days.

TIA!
Me: unexplained infertility - annovulatory DH: testicular cancer survivor!! TTC since June 2009 BFP May 11, 2012 EDD January 24, 2013 June 1, 2012 - first u/s, heartbeat 124 BPM!! June 22, 2012 - heard the heartbeat 9w1d 181 BPM!! 24 hours of labor, 4 1/2 hours of pushing, and IT'S A BOY! Welcome to the world my miracle, we prayed and prayed for you, and we can't believe you're here!
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Re: Pumping and traveling without LO

  • BootsOrHeartsBootsOrHearts member

    Both of those plans sound fine. You could probably take it as a carry on also, if the cooler is small enough. The whole thing about liquids and restricting the amount you can carry on does not apply to breastmilk. I did a 2 day trip and returned with 35-40 ounces that was cold but not frozen and it was fine.

    The risk of freezing is that if it thaws, you might lose some because you're supposed to use it within 24 hours. BM has natural antibacterial properties that let it stay fresh for 5-8 days (or more) refrigerated but freezing can mess with those properties, someone smarter than me can probably explain why.

    I found an ounce of milk in a backpack that was leftover from a trip we took a week and a half ago, so it had been at room temp for 9-10 days and I opened it up, no joke it looked and smelled FINE, it had just separated. I didn't give it to my kid but still, shows you how awesome mother nature is.

    **Warning: Losses and living child mentioned**
    BFP#1 1/31/12, EDD 10/6/12 Harrison Gray born sleeping @ 18w6d. You changed our lives little guy.
    BFP#2 EDD 10/29/13, C/P 2/25/13, Bye little Ish, we barely got to know you.
    BFP#3 EDD 12/21/13, Baby Boots born 11/23/13 My rainbow baby!
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  • basil2basil2 member
    When I travelled for 3 days I did not freeze, took a cooler of milk as carry on (I had no problem with TSA), froze when I got home (but used it over the next week or so since it wasn't frozen as quickly as I usually do.
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  • bennikkibennikki member
    Thanks for all your input ladies!  I was never separated from DS1 for more than 10 hours until he was over a year old, so this is new territory for me, but this trip has been years in the planning (all the women in my family are getting a beach house on Nantucket!), so I'm really trying to get my ducks in a row.  Especially since, it's not too late to pull out if it just doesn't seem to make sense. 
    Me: unexplained infertility - annovulatory DH: testicular cancer survivor!! TTC since June 2009 BFP May 11, 2012 EDD January 24, 2013 June 1, 2012 - first u/s, heartbeat 124 BPM!! June 22, 2012 - heard the heartbeat 9w1d 181 BPM!! 24 hours of labor, 4 1/2 hours of pushing, and IT'S A BOY! Welcome to the world my miracle, we prayed and prayed for you, and we can't believe you're here!
    Report Reply
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