Pumping while traveling . . . . all the tips & tricks I have to offer

I’m baaaaaaack!!  5 weeks ago I returned to work after my maternity leave with my second son.  I was blessed to be able to stay home 13 weeks after he was born, and to work from home my first 3 weeks back to work.  I had a nice long hiatus from work and travel.  But . . . now it is back to the grind and back to the road.  And boy did I get a wake-up call these past 2 weeks on my return back.

For those of you who have children who breastfeed and pumped with any of them, you know the effort you put into pumping.  Whether you are traveling work mama or are just a mama heading out on a trip . . . when you are faced with the thought of pumping while trying to get through the airport, in a hotel, during a day-long work meeting, in an 8 hour car ride, in a group setting, etc. the panic hits.  I’ll be quite transparent, I forgot how hard it was to pump and travel for work but it all came back to me during my first work trip last week.  Have no fear . . . I hit the road and pumped for 6 months with my first son, and am trudging knee deep again with this one so I have gathered below a few tips and recommendations and experiences to make this as easy as possible for you.  You CAN do it.  Here’s how.

·         Choose the higher end options of the hotel chains you have to choose from where feasible.  Stay at a Marriott rather than Fairfield Inn, or Hilton/Hilton Garden Inn rather than Hampton Inn.  I only say this as they typically have more amenities such as refrigerators and microwaves for your room for you to store your milk and clean your supplies.

·         That being said . . . the hotel options at the other end of the chain are more likely to help you out with something you need.  The Fairfield Inn and Hampton Inn employees stored my ice pack in their private hotel refrigerator multiple times when there were not individual ones available. 

·         Speaking of ice pack, you can take larger amounts of breast milk through TSA without issue (just declare it before it goes through screening).  They do check it (they checked all 8 of my bottles this week . . . ) which can sometimes take extra time going through security.

·         However, your ice pack I found does have to be frozen to take it through security.  This sometimes requires some thought and planning to keep it frozen, I left mine with a hotel concierge, front desk, or in the trunk of my rental car (in the winter) until I went to the airport most times.

·         No matter what hotel chain or facility you are staying at, call ahead of time.  Request your refrigerator and microwave for your room.  KEY point – tell them you are breastfeeding.  They are much more likely to prioritize you or put more effort into getting it for you when you tell them that.  Not all hotels have microwaves, but again you never know unless you ask

·         If it is a work or other meeting, call and ask what facilities they have for pumping or to store your milk.  Unfortunately many times it may be an empty room or restroom, but you never know unless you ask. 

·         At a longer meeting/trip?  See if there is a FedEx nearby . . . I have had several teammates who have shipped milk home during the week (they ship on dry ice . . . just make sure someone will be home to receive the package)

·         I used a Medela Pump-In-Style line and am using it again this time.  I also got a manual pump which has really come in handy during some tight travel timelines (aka you only have 15 minutes to run in the public restroom and pump before you board).

·         Time it right.  If possible choose flights or travel times which accommodate you.  I used to arrive to the airport a half hour earlier than I otherwise would have so that I could pump in the car or airport lounge before boarding.  If you have a connection, allow enough time to pump in between if possible. 

·         However we all know flights don’t always go as planned.  See above point re my manual pump. 

·         Work meeting?  Take your pump breaks when needed where you are able.  Myself and colleagues I have seen excuse themselves early for lunch, come back late from breaks, etc. 

·         Take extra bottles and Ziploc bags . . . it is better to have extra bottles than to have to dump good milk because you don’t have room for transport (although I have had to do that in certain cases due to space).  I put all of my pieces and parts into Ziploc bags in my pump bag, I tend to go through a lot with dirty/clean parts. 

·         I have seen several questions regarding your pump as a carry-on item, I have found that your pump DOES count as a carry-on item (in my opinion it should be a medical device and exempt but I don’t think we’re there yet).  I stuff mine in my carry-on suitcase whenever possible so I can avoid checking a bag, but that’s just my preference.

·         I don’t endorse any specific brands or products, but I will say the types of products below are a must for me.  They make your life so much easier while pumping on the road –

Medela steam bags

Medela clean wipes

Pump battery pack

Pump car charger / adapter

I will admit it takes a deal of thought, planning, and work . . . but you CAN do it!  Email or message me with any specific questions or tips you have – travelermama@gmail.com or @travelermama on Twitter.

Happy travels!