I have three children, 4, 2.5, and 4 months. I am EBF and have to travel for a week for work in November. I just cannot fathom pumping and dumping a weeks worth of milk...has anyone ever pumped while away from your child and tried to fly with frozen milk? Or shipped on dry ice? I won't stop breastfeed because of work travel...but also don't want to waste that liquid gold either!! Any suggestions?
You can transport breastmilk in your carry-on luggage. A lot of women get ice once they are past security. Or you can look donate on.human milk for human babies in whatever area you are traveling to if keeping the milk for the week is too difficult.
Parent of
Baby Boy M, born December 2013
Angels: Miscarriage @ 9 weeks, May 2015, Chemical Pregnancy November 2015
Thank you! I didn't know how much hassle they would give me going through security. I guess I could certainly try that for the flight home! Thank you!!
I have flown with both frozen and fresh BM, my pump, and bottles.N o one has hassled me at all. I usually get ice once I am past security, Starbucks always has ice. The only issue I've come across is from my transport bag leaking once the ice was melting. So I have to think of a new solution for that.
I did a job interview 4 weeks postpartum. I flew back with 2 days worth of pumped milk. It filled my medela bag. It was not a problem for security, they put it on some sort of bomb scan thing and a bomb sniffing dog they had smelled the bag. Then I went right on. Be sure to have enough space to pack however much you want to bring back, that was my big problem. I asked the hotel for a fridge with a freezer, it wasn't a real freezer of course but it worked ok. You can also get ice in the hotel obviously or various restaurants, most are friendly about this. Bag everything twice, the ice the milk, etc. I had no leak problems with double bagging. It may be realistically tough to keep a whole weeks worth and keep it cold enough.
I just flew with both expressed milk and my ice pack. Ice packs are ok for security. They can scan them like they do the milk. I flew through both LAX and NYC airports for reference and neither TSA had issue with the ice pack.
I have also flown with frozen steaks before with sealed ice packs as carry on baggage and never had an issue. Suprisingly, TSA seems to be more worried about the milk itself and not the ice pack.\
Formula, breast milk and juice in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters are allowed in carry-on baggage and do need to not fit within a quart-sized bag. Separate formula, breast milk and juice from other liquids, gels and aerosols limited to 3.4 ounces.
Ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs and other accessories required to cool formula, breast milk and juice are allowed in carry-on. If these accesories are partially frozen or slushy, they are subject to the same screening as described above. You may also bring gel or liquid-filled teethers, canned, jarred and processed baby food in carry-on baggage. These items may be subject to additional screening.
So helpful!! Thank you so much. I may end up shipping some home on dry ice from the first Part of the week and bringing the last day or so of milk home through airport security. Thanks for your input!!!
Re: Traveling without baby while EBF
I just flew with both expressed milk and my ice pack. Ice packs are ok for security. They can scan them like they do the milk. I flew through both LAX and NYC airports for reference and neither TSA had issue with the ice pack.
I have also flown with frozen steaks before with sealed ice packs as carry on baggage and never had an issue. Suprisingly, TSA seems to be more worried about the milk itself and not the ice pack.\
Also from the TSA Website: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children
3-1-1 Liquids Rule Exemption
Formula, breast milk and juice in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters are allowed in carry-on baggage and do need to not fit within a quart-sized bag. Separate formula, breast milk and juice from other liquids, gels and aerosols limited to 3.4 ounces.
Ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs and other accessories required to cool formula, breast milk and juice are allowed in carry-on. If these accesories are partially frozen or slushy, they are subject to the same screening as described above. You may also bring gel or liquid-filled teethers, canned, jarred and processed baby food in carry-on baggage. These items may be subject to additional screening.