Ah, summer! School is out and families are hitting the road. And if mom is breastfeeding, getting from point A to B might take a bit more forethought and organization. Although a frazzled mom on vacation is probably inevitable, planning a way to be less frazzled is always a great goal . . . for the whole gang.
Storage
Keep it Cool
Pumped breastmilk stored in a small, insulated cooler with frozen ice packs will stay fresh for 24 hours. Keep these storage guidelines in mind: Freshly expressed milk is safe at room temperature (60-85F) for 4 to 6 hours. Refrigerated milk should be used or frozen within 24 hours. Breastmilk can be frozen for up to 12 months.
Airports and Breastmilk
Domestic Flights As an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the TSA/Transportation Security Authority has the following regulations regarding traveling with breastmilk: "Breastmilk and juice for infants and toddlers are screened in the same manner as medically necessary liquids. Breastmilk and juice in excess of 3.4 ounces or accessories required to transport the liquid on a flight must be declared to the TSA officer at the beginning of the screening process. Officers may test liquids for explosives or concealed prohibited items. If officers are unable to use X-ray to clear these items, they may ask for the container to be opened and may also ask the traveler to transfer to a separate container or dispose of a small quantity of liquid, if feasible. If the breastmilk and juice cannot be X-rayed or opened, officers may be required to take additional steps to clear the liquid as well as conduct additional screening, which may include a pat-down of the traveler and screening of the remainder of the traveler’s accessible property." International Flights Because foreign countries have different policies addressing breastmilk, it is advisable to research regulations at each airport you visit. Celebrity, Alyssa Milano, recently experienced a frustrating situation at Heathrow Airport in London. Read more here.
Baby Friendly Travel Apps
Baby Travel, FREE
"Baby Travel is your source for tips, tricks, and advice on flying, driving, and traveling with babies or kids. Our iPhone app contains a packing list for traveling to warm, cold, and mixed destinations with any number of travelers. You can share your lists, inform friends and family of your departures and arrivals, and even use the app to put your mail on hold! Also included is the Baby Travel blog and Helpful Sounds (to keep the little ones happy or sooth them to sleep)."
Cloud Baby Monitor, $6.99
"High Quality Live Video + Audio Baby Monitor with Unlimited Range (Wi-Fi, 3G, LTE, Bluetooth). Easy to use, works on any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or a Mac with no configuration. Excellent choice for secure home and travel baby monitoring." Happy travels this summer from all of us at Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas!