Pumping issue

NLewis1 · October 2014

Ok. I need some advice.

In January or February (they haven't set the date yet) I will have to be in Houston for work for a week. My little boy is almost 8 weeks today, which will make him roughly 6 months old when I go on this trip. Im pumping to build a stash for him while Im gone, but Im at a loss for what to do while Im down there. I'll have to pump, otherwise my supply will drop but Im not sure as to how/when I will be able to pump as I will be there for training, and then (and here's the biggie) WHAT DO I DO WITH THE MILK?! Do airlines let you bring that sh*t on a plane packed in dry ice? Im worried about shipping it home....I don't want to just dump it if I can help it.

Any pointers in a good direction would be awesome. Im thinking I will probably have to call the airline once my ticket is bought and ask about bringing it on the plane....

Amelia4 · October 2014

They'll let you bring it on the plane. But rather than calling the airline directly, look at the TSA online regulations as any issues will be at security, not on the plane, I think. I don't think dry ice is allowed, but you can put it on regular ice, dump the ice at security, then get new ice at a restaurant after security. Shipping some home on dry ice mid-way through the week isn't a bad idea. I go by the 8-day rule so I'd be okay keeping it all cold, then freezing it when you get home as that will be 7 days at the most.

NLewis1 · October 2014

Awesome thanks! I just looked at the online regulations - that was super helpful! Now I just have to make sure to get a room with a fridge in it and figure out when/where Im going to pump during training.

2chatter · October 2014

Google the TSA guidelines. Here are the two weird things I found: 1) they stated that you cannot bring unfrozen ice packs without EBM. It's weirdly specific, and I remember taking frozen ice packs on the way there. 2) they bomb scanned EVERY SINGLE BAG of EBM individually TWICE. So allow time to clear security. I printed the guidelines and took them with me and did have to show them to the first TSA agent that told me I could not carry liquids through the checkpoint.

Ask if the training event person can get you a room to pump in. At hotels they often will use a hospitality suite. On site you can use their nursing rooms or nap rooms. Get them to do the leg work for you, though. Have fun!

dashofreality · October 2014

Call and ask your hotel, they will normally provide a fridge for breastmilk if it isn't standard for their rooms. For a week trip I wouldn't bother with dry ice. I would just bring a small cooler and icepacks with you.

I would also call the hotel or wherever your training is being held and ask if they could provide you a space to pump in. GL!

NLewis1 · October 2014

Thanks guys! @2chatter in the guidlines I read it said to just state at the beginning of security if you did not want your BM x-rayed. I will have to print the guidelines and take with me in case anyone tries to give me any grief! I did plan on getting in touch with our training coordinator and seeing what could be done about the pumping issue - esp. since its federal law to allow me breaks to pump in a room that isn't a bathroom

NLewis1 · October 2014

I thought about that @K3am but I wasn't quite sure how to go about it. I thought about maybe calling Texas children's and seeing if they take donated BM but getting it there might be an issue. If I could find a mom who needs it and could come to my hotel that would be ideal!

They haven't set the training schedule yet, so they don't have any idea where it will be (it could even end up being in Berwick, LA instead of Houston at this point).

I'm really hoping my freezer stash is built up to have plenty for him for the week I'm gone plus a few days (I didn't have a stash before I went back to work and I'm only getting about 2 extra bottles per day for my stash). If that's the case I would love to donate it! I'm hoping since he will be eating some baby food that he won't need as much BM, but I'm a FTM and have no idea how that will really go down!

NLewis1 · October 2014

Thanks @rvasc I'll look into that if my stash is looking healthy enough by then!

2chatter · October 2014

They didn't xray mine, but did put it into this little machine that tested for bombs. It was like a little holder, and they said it was testing for residue. That was the part that took forever. Not sure if Houston does that as Houston airports are a little lower key than La Guardia, where I departed from.

NLewis1 · October 2014

If concerns me that some airports are "lower key" lol

litzo27 · October 2014

I was gone for 3 days so not as much as a week but did have a fair amount in storage bags (much easier than bottles). I kept it cold in the hotel room fridge (had to pay $30 extra a day for a fridge) then put in an insulated lunch bag with a couple bags of ice. Dumped ice before security. I had no problem having milk x-rayed so I just did that and they swiped it with a swab on the outside of bags also. And then got more ice in a coffee shop. Good luck.

NLewis1 · October 2014

Thanks guys! I don't think I'll have access to a freezer, but could probably just take a cab to get a Styrofoam cooler and dry ice. I was planning on taking my storage bags with me so I could transport home that way to save space!

ksmedforWed236766 · October 2014

I can highly recommend the max cool backpack cooler. I have carried as much as 150+ oz of milk plus bags of ice and it kept it cold for 12 hours. I have used it in the room to keep my milk cold when I couldn't get a fridge and also used it to store pump parts I couldn't clean, etc. It also is nice because you can carry it on your back and still carry a laptop bag without problems. It has been nice to have an extension cord packed for your pump too, in case the plug isn't close to somewhere you can sit comfortably.

Tdubplus1 · October 2014

I fly back and forth from Newark to Houston IAH all the time with breastmilk. 90% of the time, TSA just screens my hands for explosive material, they are pretty lax about it. On a side note, if you get delayed at IAH, there are two nursery rooms at the airport in terminal B. They have a crib and rocker and are great places to pump in private. If I'm traveling with my baby, I will nurse her there, but communal cribs kind of sketch me out a little so I have never used the crib feature in the room.

NLewis1 · October 2014

@Tdubplus1‌ thanks! I love that I got personal experience for that specific airport!

DallasHorn · October 2014

I no longer BF, but I have 3 kids and nursed for 52 months across the 3 and did a number of trips including to Mexico. Here is my standard helpful response about pumping and traveling:

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.

VitaLuna · October 2014

I just got back from a trip. I had BM and 3 baby food pouches (was traveling with LO). I had it in a separate bag and told them when I put my stuff on the belt, "I have more than 4oz of baby food/BM in this bag". At one airport, they just said ok and then bomb screened my hands. At the other airport, they took the bag aside and wiped down each package (and my hands) to screen. It was NBD.

ETA: I dumped my ice before the checkpoint and got more on the other side.

NLewis1 · October 2014

This is awesome info ladies!!! I feel ten times better about traveling with BM now and I'm excited I will get to bring it home with me!

I talked to my boss about the fridge issue and (because my company pays my flight and hotel) told me that I can ask for a room with a fridge - no big deal!

I think I'm going to do as @DallasHorn‌ did with the extra bag

NLewis1 · October 2014

OK, sate is set for March 9-13 in Houston! Talked to the Coordinator and luckily my group is all women who won't have any problems with me stepping out to pump during the day!

I feel SO relieved!

ECATX · October 2014

I know not everyone would be comfortable with this, but I put a soft sided cooler and a freezer pack (the hotel froze it for me) with pumped milk in my suitcase and checked it. Then I only had to carry on (and through security) what I pumped that last day/afternoon. I always had meetings on my travel day, so I would store the milk from that day in a small cooler that I kept with me. I put ice in small freezer bags and replenished as needed. Good luck!

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Pumping issue

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Re: Pumping issue

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013