Traveler's Edition
Traveling with a baby is no easy task, you can hope and pray but there’s no guarantee your baby isn’t going to scream the full plane journey or in the hotel restaurant.
On top of this if you’re breast-feeding or pumping you will have a whole other set of things to worry about, but don’t let this overshadow your holiday or travel plans. The best thing to do is be prepared, and by reading this article you are preparing yourself for a safe and stress-free travel (as much as humanly possible with a baby.)
Here are our top 6 tips for breast-feeding Moms on holiday:
Be prepared
As a parent you are always prepared, but here are a few travel tips when it comes to flying as a breast-feeding Mom. You are able to bring both a carry-on bag and a diaper bag on the plane. A breast pump is categorized as a personal item, so it is allowed in the cabin, but in place of one of your bags.
It might be worth you bringing a single manual pump if it fits in the diaper bag – two birds, one stone! If you’re flying for more than 8 hours bring a bag of ice for your breast milk, it will stay at room temperature for around 8 hours.
Some things you will need for the flight: hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, nursing cover or baby sling (if that makes you more comfortable when feeding your baby on the plane.) It’s also best not to use the water on the plane to clean pump parts or bottles because of the possible bacteria lurking. Instead ask for a bottled water, or store them in a resalable plastic bag and clan them at your destination.
Declare your milk
The TSA have eased their restrictions on liquids, allowing you to travel with more than three ounces of breast milk. But you still have to notify security if you have more than that amount.
It’s likely that milk and ice packs will be screened by X-Ray, but they may also ask you to pour some out and test it. If you don’t want this, they may run some additional screening.
Best time to feed?
To encourage your baby to swallow and ease the pressure in their ears during take-off and landing, breast-feed them. It will make for a more comfortable journey for baby, Mom and every other passenger nearby.
Pack extra everything
Supplies are important, pack extra nursing bras, breast pads and milk storage bags etc.
Use an app
Some moms feel embarrassed breast feeding in public, according to a recent poll from Public Health England’s Start4Life, more than one third of moms felt embarrassed. If you fall into this category, download an app to find places where you can discretely breastfeed or pump. Some airports have dedicated suites that include power supply, seating, clean-up supplies and etc.
Another useful app for breast feeding moms is SmartMom, an app for getting great advice from other moms, currently over 14,000 moms have downloaded the app. They have recently released their Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding which has become one of their most popular resources.
Stay healthy
In an airport and on your travels you are more prone to mastitis, a breast inflammation that can cause pain and swelling, as well as a fever. To prevent mastitis, stay well hydrated, wash your hands frequently, rest and stick to your normal breast-feeding or pumping schedule as much as you can.
