Travelling for work and pumping - longish flight

[7costanza]

Early next month I have to travel from the west coast to the east coast for a 2 day training. My baby is still EBF (with some solids) so I will have to pump and transport the milk home. I'm dreading it for a number of reasons, but need help figuring out the actual travel and pumping logistics.  

-Tips for pumping in the airport or on the flight?
-Can I get away with just carry-ons if I pack my PISA and cooler in the suitcase, and the manual in the under the seat bag? 
-Recs for a cooler and ice packs? 
-Any other tips? 

[glitzy07]

Signing in for tips too. I'm traveling for a long weekend in March and have similar questions!

[zarapipe]

I would never check my pump. I used my medela cooler and it worked just fine. Ask for a refrigerator for your hotel room. HOw long is your flight and total amount of time in the airport?

[chickens987]

Feb 7, 2014 12:26:20 GMT -5 7costanza said:

Early next month I have to travel from the west coast to the east coast for a 2 day training. My baby is still EBF (with some solids) so I will have to pump and transport the milk home. I'm dreading it for a number of reasons, but need help figuring out the actual travel and pumping logistics.  

-Tips for pumping in the airport or on the flight? I found a "family" restroom and camped out there. I sat by the door and brought sanitizing wipes. I also have pumped standing up in a regular stall, but I don't recommend that I wasn't really comfortable pumping at a closed gate, but some people have. I always pumped before and after a flight, never on one.
-Can I get away with just carry-ons if I pack my PISA and cooler in the suitcase, and the manual in the under the seat bag? I need clarification - do you mean you will check your PISA? Or just put it in your rollaboard? I've carried on everything before - I used my pump bag as my underseat bag and put the cooler in there, carried it separately for the trip home. I wouldn't want to put a bag full of BM in a suitcase for fear of leaks.
-Recs for a cooler and ice packs? www.amazon.com/PackIt-Freezable-Lunch-Bag-Polka/dp/B0049CVWCK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391794471&sr=8-1&keywords=pack+it I brought home 80 ozs (take bags!) in this after a 2 day trip. No ice packs, just take ziplocs and ask at a concession for ice to fill them.
-Any other tips? 

[7costanza]

Feb 7, 2014 12:32:51 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

I would never check my pump. I used my medela cooler and it worked just fine. Ask for a refrigerator for your hotel room. HOw long is your flight and total amount of time in the airport?

Flight there is 5 hours, home is 6.5. With drive and airport time I'll probably be en-route 8-9 on the way there, and 10-11 on the way home (omg). 

[7costanza]

Feb 7, 2014 12:36:24 GMT -5 chickens987 said:

Feb 7, 2014 12:26:20 GMT -5 7costanza said:

Early next month I have to travel from the west coast to the east coast for a 2 day training. My baby is still EBF (with some solids) so I will have to pump and transport the milk home. I'm dreading it for a number of reasons, but need help figuring out the actual travel and pumping logistics.  

-Tips for pumping in the airport or on the flight? I found a "family" restroom and camped out there. I sat by the door and brought sanitizing wipes. I also have pumped standing up in a regular stall, but I don't recommend that I wasn't really comfortable pumping at a closed gate, but some people have. I always pumped before and after a flight, never on one.
-Can I get away with just carry-ons if I pack my PISA and cooler in the suitcase, and the manual in the under the seat bag? I need clarification - do you mean you will check your PISA? Or just put it in your rollaboard? I've carried on everything before - I used my pump bag as my underseat bag and put the cooler in there, carried it separately for the trip home. I wouldn't want to put a bag full of BM in a suitcase for fear of leaks.
-Recs for a cooler and ice packs? www.amazon.com/PackIt-Freezable-Lunch-Bag-Polka/dp/B0049CVWCK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391794471&sr=8-1&keywords=pack+it I brought home 80 ozs (take bags!) in this after a 2 day trip. No ice packs, just take ziplocs and ask at a concession for ice to fill them.
-Any other tips? 

I don't want to check anything, so I'm hoping to put the pump in the rollaboard. My thought was I will use the PISA at my destination, but just use the manual in the airport/on the flight since it's smaller and easier to stash in a backpack or purse.

[jr009j]

Your pump is medical equipment so you will definitely be okay. Delta tried to make me gate check it and as soon as I said medical equipment, they backed off.

I recommend bringing a nursing cover just in case. Some airports don't have family bathrooms. The Charlotte airport had benches in the regular bathroom and they were right in the middle of things. No one batted an eye when they saw what i was doing but I was definitely more comfortable with a cover. I know some women try to find empty gates and pump there. I recommend googling the specific airports you're flying through to see where other women recommend pumping.

I would try to get window seats so you can pump in your seat. A woman was trying to pump in the bathroom on a flight to Hawaii and people kept on knocking, including the flight attendant just to "check if everything was okay."

I used frozen ice packs with no issue and brought bags of ice through security. If they are frozen solid, supposedly there is no issue. I recommend double bagging your ice as I sprung a leek and ended up with a soaked cooler.

[djc315]

The cooler and the pump do not count towards carryons. So, theoretically, you can carry on a carry on size suitcase, your purse, cooler, and pump.

A nursing cover is a great idea. Do you have a battery adapter for your pump? If not, bring one. They sell one for the PISA at Target.

I stored milk in my room fridge. Don't freeze it, because if it thaws on the way home, you'll have to use/throw out in 24 hours. It will be fine for 6+ days in the fridge.

Store the milk in bags, bring extra ziplocs. I put all the bags of milk in gallon ziplocs, and then filled the other gallon bags with ice. I had a soft shelled coleman cooler.

[7costanza]

Thank you all! These are really great tips, I feel better about making it through and pumping while flying now.

[keh2oblue]

Feb 7, 2014 13:24:11 GMT -5 djc315 said:

The cooler and the pump do not count towards carryons. So, theoretically, you can carry on a carry on size suitcase, your purse, cooler, and pump.

A nursing cover is a great idea. Do you have a battery adapter for your pump? If not, bring one. They sell one for the PISA at Target.

I stored milk in my room fridge. Don't freeze it, because if it thaws on the way home, you'll have to use/throw out in 24 hours. It will be fine for 6+ days in the fridge.

Store the milk in bags, bring extra ziplocs. I put all the bags of milk in gallon ziplocs, and then filled the other gallon bags with ice. I had a soft shelled coleman cooler.

I actually was told differently flying on USAir.  The flight attendant wouldn't let me board until I "consolidated" my bags.  I explained what they were, and she still wouldn't let me on.  I just put my cooler on top of my pumping bag which seemed to be acceptable.  Just a warning.

[schrodinger]

I flew SEA -> ORD for training with a pump, cooler and laptop without too many issues. Some tips:

-The O'Hare TSA gave me problems because the ice packs were partially thawed. I had to throw some of them away. If I were doing it again, I would pack gallon freezer bags with ice so I could drain the water out and it would be "frozen."
-If you pump on the plane (I did), chat up the flight attendants beforehand. They hooked me up with fresh ice, showed me the best bathroom to use and kept the other passengers away.
-I agree with PP's, don't let your milk freeze. Call your hotel ahead of time and get it arranged to have a refrigerator in your room. Tell them you need it for medical reasons.
-TSA may screen each bag of milk individually. I regret having small increments (3-4 oz), wish that I had bagged it really full, then frozen it in smaller amounts when I got home.
-Get a ton of the Medela sanitizing wipes.
-If you plan to use a manual, try it out before you leave so that you are comfortable with it.

[CloudBee]

Bring a nursing cover. I have pumped at the gate several times, and also on the plane in my seat. I was also the jerk who pumped in the plane restroom when I was alone with my baby (he was on the changing table) and asked the flight attendant if she minded, and could she please direct people to the other restroom as I would be about 10 minutes.

If you plan on bringing milk back, call and ask the hotel if you can have access to their freezer. If yes, pack a soft sided lunch box and put your milk in there before freezing.

A room fridge was really helpful for us.

Don't forget dish soap so you can wash your pump parts. I forgot it the first time I traveled and body wash doesn't work nearly as well to remove the fat residue!

I did pack my electric PISA, and used the manual Medela Harmony on flights and at the airport.