Breastfeeding While Traveling Tips- For Exclusively Pumping Mamas

This post is mostly about breastfeeding while traveling, but as I shared in my newsletter, my journey has since ended. When Baby Boy was 7 months my milk suddenly dropped, and I went from pumping a little over 40oz a day to around 6oz if I power pumped. I tried all the brownies, supplements, and oatmeal I could stomach for a month before we ultimately decided it was time to call it quits. I felt sad, I felt like I was broken, not good enough to give my baby what he needed. I knew none of this was true, but it still rang loud in my mind!

I cried myself to sleep the night I made the final decision, and for two weeks after, I cried randomly while making bottles but eventually the hurt subsided and embraced the freedom. I know 7 months of exclusively breastfeeding are amazing, I know I am amazing…it still hurt for the journey to end on terms other than my own. I’ve had to adjust all my plans of how motherhood would be and our feeding journey was no exception. It’s been hard as hell but also one of the most selfless things I’ve ever done. Will I try again with the next one, HELL YES!

Now for why you are here lol

A few months ago, we took our first trip with Baby Boy and I promised I would share how I was able to pump while traveling. The video below explains how we prepped but I wanted to share a few tips post-trip.

1. Bring All You Need

You can bring as much milk and baby food as needed when traveling domestically, and they don’t have to fit into the carry-on size guidelines. Keep them all together and let the agent know what it is. Most of my milk was frozen, but they didn’t test it.

I brought two days’ worth of frozen milk to ensure we were covered if we got in a pinch. I had two bottles unthawed until I could pump at our destination.  

2. Make Sure Your Ice Packs Are Completely Frozen

If your ice packs are not fully frozen, they will make you throw them away. It doesn’t matter what kind of ice pack it is; they must be frozen.

3. Plan Extra Time

We arrived at the airport early, so we were not rushing with the baby but also had time to feed him before we got on the plane. We fed him a pouch in the boarding area and saved the bottle for take-off. That way, he was in the process of sucking during take-off to stop his ears from popping.

4. Practice Feeding On The Go

I was nervous about sanitary pumping, so I used the Kiinde System for travel, and I could pump directly into the bags and pop them into the bottles. These are not the bottles he typically used, so we practiced in the week leading up to our trip, and he adjusted well.  

5. Pre-Plan Your Pumping Sessions

We had a short flight, so I didn’t have to pump on the plane. I pumped right before we left the house and in the car once we landed. I kept my pump parts in a large Ziploc bag to ensure they stayed clean during travel. I used the Medela Pump wipes to wipe everything down until I was at a sink. I also brought a reusable sterilization bag since we moved around a lot. We had a packed schedule, so I made sure I set alarms and stayed on top of my pumping session.  

Bonus: Plan For The Unexpected

You never know what will happen, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Baby Boy was uncomfortable in his new environment, so he wanted more milk than food. His increased consumption on top of my milk supply dipping a bit due to travel meant I couldn’t keep up with his demand. Luckily I had planned for the worst-case scenario and researched the formula. We had a rental car and access to a store, so I didn’t pack any, but I wasn’t stressed when we had to run to the store to grab some.

I was stressed about sanitary pumping/breastfeeding while traveling, but having a plan gave me the peace I needed. Baby Boy was fed and happy, and that’s all that matters! 

Hopefully, the price of air travel drops so we can all plan some family trips and this post helps with breastfeeding while traveling!

XOXO, Laya