Flying with breast pump and no baby

[JanBaby]

I will be traveling next weekend (by myself - woo hoo!) and will be pumping during my absence. I searched through old posts and found a link to the TSA website about breast milk. It looks like I can bring breast milk through security in my carry on but I can't find anything about the freezer packs to keep it cold. Has anyone done this? I won't be losing a ton of milk if I have to dump it but I hate to do that if I don't have to.

TIA!

[peanut520]

I will be traveling next weekend (by myself - woo hoo!) and will be pumping during my absence. I searched through old posts and found a link to the TSA website about breast milk. It looks like I can bring breast milk through security in my carry on but I can't find anything about the freezer packs to keep it cold. Has anyone done this? I won't be losing a ton of milk if I have to dump it but I hate to do that if I don't have to.

TIA!

we travel with ice packs for dd's formula when she was a baby and with milk when she was toddler without an issue. you just have to let the TSA agent know what you have so they can check it with a "sniffer" device or paper that detects explosive chemicals of some kind.

[JanBaby]

we travel with ice packs for dd's formula when she was a baby and with milk when she was toddler without an issue. you just have to let the TSA agent know what you have so they can check it with a "sniffer" device or paper that detects explosive chemicals of some kind.

Great - thank you!

[theriviera]

I will be traveling next weekend (by myself - woo hoo!) and will be pumping during my absence. I searched through old posts and found a link to the TSA website about breast milk. It looks like I can bring breast milk through security in my carry on but I can't find anything about the freezer packs to keep it cold. Has anyone done this? I won't be losing a ton of milk if I have to dump it but I hate to do that if I don't have to.

TIA!

I have traveled for work with the ice packs and milk, no problem. They do prefer that the ice packs are frozen though, so even though you won't need them cold on your outbound flight, you should bring them frozen.

[Octobermommy]

Just make sure you take what you need and not more. They made me throw out 2 ice packs bc they said they weren't necessary. Totally irritating.

[iaam]

Just wanted to reassure you that I have done this many, many times and never had a problem - on both domestic and international flights.

[citymama]

I've done this many times on domestic flights when traveling for work. Last trip was in Dec 2011. You can put the breast pump into your carry on bag, also the cooler with ice packs and milk. I always freeze my milk in the hotel fridge, and when you have solid milk plus ice packs, they rarely will even ask to see it. If you have milk that is still in liquid form (the last bag you pumped), they will ask you to step aside and run a check on it. I have always been waved through after that, but I figure if they give me a hard time, at the worst I will just lose that last bag. It's never happened though.

I always tell the TSA agent that I have a pump and breast milk in my bag before it goes thru the scanner. At smaller airports, they have asked to see the pump - 30 seconds, no big deal. At larger airports, they do this a lot, so they don't want to see the pump.

FYI, I always carry a hand pump for the plane, and wear a roomy zip up hoodie under which I can hand pump right at my seat if I need to (I once had a flight delayed by 5 hours, all of which time we were on the plane!). I also always request a window seat where I can be more discreet.

[mskitty]

I've done this many times on domestic flights when traveling for work. Last trip was in Dec 2011. You can put the breast pump into your carry on bag, also the cooler with ice packs and milk. I always freeze my milk in the hotel fridge, and when you have solid milk plus ice packs, they rarely will even ask to see it. If you have milk that is still in liquid form (the last bag you pumped), they will ask you to step aside and run a check on it. I have always been waved through after that, but I figure if they give me a hard time, at the worst I will just lose that last bag. It's never happened though.

I always tell the TSA agent that I have a pump and breast milk in my bag before it goes thru the scanner. At smaller airports, they have asked to see th pump - 30 seconds, no big deal. At larger airports, they do this a lot, so they don't want to see the pump.




:yeahthat:
I would also suggest putting your pump & cooler into a separate bin like you do a laptop at the end of your items going through the scanner. I've had a few times where they have wanted to examine it very closely and prefer it to be separate from my other things. I can be putting my shoes and coat back on while they are pondering what to do instead of all my carry on items going a fieldtrip to the security supervisor.


mskitty

[JanBaby]

Great advice everyone! Thanks so much!

[misshollygolightly]

Give yourself extra time for going through security. Every time I've traveled with breastmilk in any form in my carryon, I've had to do a pat-down, "sniff" test...the works. So build in some extra time for all that!

Also, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY put your breastpump in your carryon NOT in your check-thru bags. Sounds like this is what you're already planning to do, but just wanted to reinforce it as I had a miserable ordeal last month when I was stranded at an airport for almost 3 days (delays, weather, etc.) WITHOUT being able to access my breastpump which was in my check-thru luggage. Ended up having to get a taxi to Target to buy a new pump just so I didn't completely explode! It was horrible. So bring your pump with you and keep it close!