How To Keep Breast Milk Good While Traveling

Hey guys! Okay, I'k SUPER excited to share today's blog with you! It'due south fun when I can be your republic of guinea squealer and share my experience and results with everyone! Today it'southward ALL about pumping and storing milk while traveling without your BF (breastfed) babe!

And then, I booked a once in a lifetime Oprah cruise for my mom and I final June, I was And so excited about it (information technology was such an incredible experience!!) and when I booked the cruise I was almost vi months pregnant and in my mind, I was probable going to be bringing Annie with me … information technology wasn't until I tried registering her for the trip that I realized yous actually can't sail on a cruise with a baby under 6 months old. I was shocked!!

My mom and I talked about canceling the trip just when I talked to Justin nearly it he was not going to permit that happen and told me he would be FINE with both kids, BF baby, and dog (now a new puppy too!) for the calendar week I was going to be away! OMGGG YASSS SUPER DAD!!! LOL!! Information technology was near iii days after that that he informed me of a guys golf trip the week after my trip so there may have been an ulterior motive in that location!! HAHAHA!

Before I continue, I'm going to answer the question y'all ALL are probably thinking … HOW DID IT Go WITH JUSTIN AND THE KIDS??!?!? Well, it went GREAT! To be honest, Justin is amazing with the kids and dogs solitary! Everyone is always so well behaved with him (thanks a lot kids … lol) then I wasn't surprised he nailed information technology. IN FACT … I call up because Annie was getting a total bottle before bed versus my likely depression supply (it gets low in the evenings) SHE STARTED SLEEPING THROUGHOUT the night consistently the first day I was gone!! Either that or he merely didn't wake up to her cries just either way … the children are live and it all worked out!! Time TO BOOK MY NEXT GIRLS TRIP!?!?!?

Once I decided I would go without Annie (at 4 months old) I had to decide what to do about my breast milk. I just BF Leo until 5 months and then the thought crossed my mind to merely utilize up the rest of our frozen supply in the garage and that would exist it. But I have LOVED breastfeeding this time around (I wish I loved it this much with Leo!) and really didn't want to go downwards that path.

My next thought was to just pump and dump to continue up my supply. No tips needed there … only pump, dump it down the drain and choice up where we left off when I got back home. But … that didn't plow my crank either. So, I started brainstorming with Justin (who has amazing survival/camping skills and that comes in handy in a situation like this!) about how to arrive through the week and all the way back home with my expressed milk. PLUS … Carrie from The Mama Coach got in bear on with me and gave me Then many tips on pumping/supply and traveling (ane of my favourites was to abilitypump at night to become the stimulation going – come across tip 8!). Cheers, Carrie!!!

Overall, with these tips below, I plant it to be QUITE an easy procedure and I'm dorsum abode with nearly xx 4oz bags of milk (full of about 80 ounces!!) and I'm actually SO proud of myself!!!! I would highly recommend this to anyone traveling without their babe!  Information technology'due south not as daunting as it might seem (only catch is expressing on the aeroplane but I'll become to that) but I would say TRY It!!!! OK, HERE ARE MY TIPS!

1. Getting Your Allow Down

When we were in Hawaii, I was breastfeeding Annie and we were both naked and with the sound of the ocean, the birds and Maui sounds … I was but in heaven. Information technology was one of my favourite moments with Annie and I decided to do a little selfie video of information technology. The video was near 30 seconds long and I hope to continue it forever!

Well, it turns out this is now also my "let downward" video! IF you're new to this … basically without the baby your body has a harder time letting get of that milk. You still get in only simply pumping isn't e'er enough to get it to come out. Y'all really have to get in the fashion to produce and catch! So, before you go, record your own fiddling video. I have also heard of people bringing a blanket or a slice of habiliment that smells like babe!

Even a video of your baby crying tin help with permit down. I would watch this video every time I pumped and it worked similar a charm!

2. Equipment

You'll need a Proficient cooler, cooler pack, pump, numberless (iv-six per day), tiny container of dish soap, baby wipes (or soother wipes), and a sharpie. For a cooler, I used Justin'southward YETI cooler and his YETI ice pack. It'southward really of import that you make certain the cooler is ZIPPED UP TIGHT or closed all the manner then that the freezer pack doesn't thaw by the fourth dimension y'all go to security (more on that beneath).

I did bring my Willow pumps with me for the aeroplane and to stimulate production at night … but I but used them once. The Willow pumps are AMAZING if you lot are getting a full feed per breast simply considering my supply is lower right at present, I am only getting a full feed from BOTH breasts which means I'1000 getting smaller amounts in each Willow pump bag and you lot can't combine your pumps with the Willow. So, for me, it was merely easier to utilise the handheld pump (as you know I've been a HUGE fan of the Avent handheld pump since Leo days and I'm still using the Same $50 pump as I used with Leo!). The things I forgot to pack were a minor thing of dish soap and babe wipes for cleaning. More on that below! Oh yep, don't forget to wearable a pump friendly shirt/shawl/sweater!

Here are directly links to the products you'll need:

Yeti Libation

Ice Packs (ane-2)

Medela Numberless

Ziplock Bags (2 large ones)

Baby Wipes / Soother Wipes

Sharpie

Willow Pump

Handheld Pump

Breastfeeding Shirts

3. Security

Going through security was WAY easier than I thought. Here is the BIGGEST PIECE OF INFO YOU WILL NEED. Make sure your freezer pack and your milk are FROZEN solid before going into security. If you've pumped since taking it out of a freezer, and so effort to keep those numberless under 3.5 oz! You'll have an easier time getting them through security but bottom line is, fifty-fifty if they are more than iii.five oz information technology is your RIGHT to be able to travel with as much breastmilk as you want.

Some security agents were odd virtually it, simply I constitute that only being overnice and gentle typically worked and it all went smooth. What happened to me is … from Kelowna to Seattle I didn't zip my Yeti cooler all the way shut and by the time I got to the adjacent security finish, the Yeti ice pack had melted and they were telling me they needed to have information technology. I wanted to cry as it was my FIRST Cease. I explained what information technology was for and it didn't seem to affair to them. I wanted to become aroused only I calmly asked to speak to a manager and explained that I was really nervous traveling without my infant, that the ice pack was the simply affair that would go on my breast milk common cold and I don't know why or how it melted so quick but please could they allow me keep it. They ended up doing some tests on information technology and gave me a nice pat downwardly and I was on my fashion.

To avoid this, travel with Small water ice packs or make certain it says frozen! This is why the YETI is and then important because they are literally the all-time coolers on the marketplace and I constitute it really easy to lug around also!

Hither is some more info on traveling with breast milk!

Traveling within the States
Traveling within Canada

iv. Cleaning

So, I kind of screwed this part up but I've only ever washed my babe bottles by hand in the sink or in the dishwasher. I never did the whole sanitization humid h2o matter. this wasn't a large concern before I left and I don't really have any HUGE regrets only if I do it again I'll bring a trivial dish soap and soother wipes/baby wipes.

What I did was … if I pumped in the room, I was able to wash my pumps with hot water and soap/body launder and rinsed thoroughly and then put on a clean hand towel to dry out. In the airdrome, I rinsed them under warm water and used a paper towel to dry. Information technology, of course, was not ideal, simply information technology did the pull a fast one on. If you have any tips or tricks here please use the annotate section below!

5. Schedule

I basically pumped as often as I would feed at home. Sometimes the flying schedule or travel schedule or events didn't let for this to work out perfectly every time, and so I would say I was pumping around every 2.5 hours to every 5 hours.

Once I found out that Annie was sleeping throughout the night back home, I stopped waking up to pump, I just pumped right before bed and correct when I woke upwards. When I was drinking more than 1 glass of vino, I would just pump and dump!

6. Storing

Storing was a tad tricky merely in one case you're set you're good to go! For both our hotel and prowl room I was able to bring my entire Yeti cooler to customer service. Both had a freezer that i was able to apply throughout my stay and all my expressed milk stayed in that location!

What I did was I would pump throughout the day, go along the milk in my room fridge and at the terminate of the day or starting time thing in the morning I would connect with invitee services and bring my 4-five numberless of refrigerated milk to the freezer and add it to the supply. I didn't bring a big ziplock pocketbook with me and I would adjacent time to transport your refrigerated milk to the freezer location.

SOME hotels volition even put a freezer in your room … so it never hurts to enquire!! I likewise institute that the start time I asked the hotel/cruise it was apparently not a mutual question they got … but as long every bit you are nice and patient you'll observe that well-nigh hotels/cruises/airlines/security are quite accommodating! You are providing for your child and its an astonishing thing!!!

7. Pumping on a Plane

This is similar the exact contrary of getting your mile high gild certification! LOL!! NOT heady at all only yet a bit of a thrill figuring out how you're going to get your equipment, boobs, and milk out on a aeroplane. I found THIS to be the biggest hassle of the whole process.

On the manner to Florida, I was on iii different flights and traveling for nearly 12 hours. I would say that pumping in an airport bath was easier just depending on your pumping schedule and your comfort level with your breasts this might not be possible. On the style downwardly I used my willow pumps. I put them in correct before we boarded and then went to the washroom to have them out and put the milk in the cooler (which I stored in the overhead bin).

On the style back, I wish I would have had a longer convo with the lady sitting abreast me because I ended upwards going to the bath to pump (which stressed me out because I knew people were waiting for the washroom and I'1000 sorry just aeroplane bathrooms are not the cleanest!). Subsequently on, I found out that the lady beside me was a grandma and would have been totally fine with me pumping discreetly beside her! With the right clothing, you tin can pump without having to expose your nipples so I would have totally washed this. Now, don't go me incorrect, I'm ALL for pumping and breastfeeding in public and I'g a pretty open person when information technology comes to this sort of thing only I'm a little more small-scale myself near it in public primarily for the fact that I'm on Boob tube and a public effigy then it makes me a little shy to whip out the nip! LOL!! Still, if you are TOTALLY open up to bust out your nipples in public … I'thou applauding you!! I think it's crawly personally!! LOL!

8. Power Pump

As I mentioned at the beginning of this mail service, this was ane of my favourite tips from Carrie! She told me that a big powerpumping  session before bed makes a huge difference when a mama is experiencing depression supply or a drop in supply. She besides mentioned that you won't see huge volume then as milk supply is at its lowest but the stimulation is what is important! Find out More about Power Pumping, HERE!

Ok, so that'southward all I've got correct at present!! If you've got questions, check out my vlog beneath for further caption or write in the comments below and I will continue to update this blog!!!

PS. Carrie from The Mama Autobus has GENEROUSLY offered to give away FIFTY 30 infinitesimal virtual sessions … thirty of them are going to mamas in need via Mamas for Mamas and she is giving away the remaining 20 to mamas (in Canada or us!!) who need help with feeding (chest or bottle!). If this is something you would be interested delight make certain to get follow The Mama Coach hither for details and for your chance to snag one of the sessions!

Good LUCK AND HAPPY PUMPING AND BON VOYAGE!!!!!!!

xo

Jilly

Source: https://jillianharris.com/8-tips-for-pumping-storing-breast-milk-while-travelling/

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