Oh, the joys of motherhood, breastfeeding, and pumping. It’s an ever-evolving journey with many unique learning opportunities. One of the most interesting experiences I faced in my breastfeeding journey resulted from a girl’s weekend trip to Mexico while I was still nursing. Since I obviously wasn’t bringing a baby to a bachelorette party, I had a few options to explore. I could start the weaning process before I left, pump and dump on the trip, or fly home with breast milk in my carry-on or checked bag. I decided to travel with frozen breast milk in my checked luggage from Mexico. And let me tell you, it was quite the journey!
For context, my daughter was only five months old at the time of the trip. She was exclusively drinking breast milk at the time, and I wasn’t quite ready to give up breastfeeding her just yet. So, I began researching my options on countless mom forums, blogs, and social media channels. In my research, I found that Mexico has a unique rule that doesn’t allow women to fly with breast milk in their carry-on unless the baby is physically with them. On those same online forums and blogs, fellow breastfeeding and pumping moms shared their experiences of trying to pack breast milk from Mexico to the States in their carry-on. The responses included a mix of success stories and some devastating tales ending in breast milk being thrown away at the security line.
I didn’t want to risk the latter, so I started researching how to travel with frozen breast milk in my checked luggage. After countless hours of online searches, several Amazon orders, and one nerve-wracking flight later, I successfully brought home all my frozen breast milk from Mexico. I put together this how to travel with frozen breast milk in your checked luggage post for all my nursing mamas out there who might have an upcoming trip and want to travel home with their frozen breast milk.
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Prepare the Supplies
The first step is to get all your supplies prepared. I’ve put together a detailed list of all the items I used during my trip in this how to travel with frozen breast milk in your checked luggage guide:
Breast Pump
The first and most important item is your breast pump. I packed two breast pumps with me on my trip to Mexico. I have a Spectra S2 as my primary daily pump and a Spectra 9 Plus as my travel breast pump. I packed both because I get the best results with my Spectra S2, but I also knew I would need to pump on the go while on this trip. In addition to my breast pumps, I packed two sets of Spectra pump parts with me to ensure I always had one readily available and clean for me to use.
Pumping Bra
It should be no surprise that you will need a bra that is compatible with your pumping needs. I personally use this one, and it does the trick for me! I wore my pumping bra on the plane and then packed it in my bag with my portable breast pump when I knew I would need to pump on the go.
Softsided Insulated Cooler
Another critical item you will need is a cooler. Not just any cooler; you’ll want to find one that is soft-sided, insulated, leakproof, large enough to fit your milk and ice packs, and small enough to fit in your checked bag. After quite a bit of research, I found this one, and it was perfect for my trip. It’s so good that I’ve continued to use it after the fact, anytime I need to transport breast milk or cold beverages. You’ll also want to order a few reusable ice packs that you’ll use to keep the breast milk frozen while it’s packed in the cooler.
Checked Suitcase
I travel with my Away checked suitcase for all my trips, and I absolutely love it. Any checked suitcase will suffice as long as you factor in enough space for the cooler full of breast milk. Before I left for Mexico, I did a test run of packing my suitcase with the cooler stuffed with clothing to ensure I had enough room for everything on my flight home.
Breast Milk Storage Bags
Next up, you’ll need breast milk storage bags. I packed almost an entire box of Lansinoh storage bags to make sure I had enough. I figured I could toss any extras that I didn’t use since they’re fairly inexpensive. You’ll also want to pack a permanent marker or two to write the details of your pump session on the bags.
Portable Breast Milk Storage Cooler
Depending on your pumping schedule, you might need to pump on the plane. If you do, you’ll need a storage container to keep your milk cold until you arrive at your destination and can properly store it in the freezer. This one is perfect since it has a section for the breast milk and another section for the gel ice pack.
I’ve also included brief instructions on how to pump while on the go in this how to travel with frozen breast milk in your checked luggage guide! Those details can be found in the section below.
Nursing Cover
During my trip to Mexico, I pumped on a plane, on a boat, and at a beach club (all interesting experiences!). I knew that I would want to cover up while pumping in public places, so I bought this nursing cover that draped over my top half and allowed me to look down at the positioning of the flanges as needed. This would also be a great item to bring with you if you plan to breastfeed while traveling with your baby.
Bottle Soap, Sponge, and Sterilizer Bags
When it’s time to properly clean your parts, you’ll need to have a travel-size bottle soap and sponge handy. Along with those two items, I packed a microwave sterilizer bag to ensure my parts were clean before each use. Plus, I was worried that the tap water in Mexico could potentially impact my breast milk, so I didn’t want to take any chances.
Breast Pump Wipes
There were a few times I needed to pump on the go, and I wouldn’t have access to properly wash my parts after use. I used these breast pump wipes to quickly wipe off my pump parts in the interim so breast milk residue didn’t dry on them. I also packed Clorox wipes to clean any surfaces I used while traveling, Wet Ones to wipe off my hands, and hand sanitizer.
Gallon Size Ziploc Bags
Ziploc bags are a girl’s best friend while you travel with frozen breast milk in your checked luggage. I used gallon-size bags to store multiple frozen breast milk bags in the cooler so that the individual bags stayed together and helped keep them frozen. They also came in handy for various packing needs throughout the trip, so I recommend bringing a bunch.
Luggage Scale
Okay, hear me out on this one. I’m usually not a luggage scale kind of traveler since I don’t like to overpack. However, frozen breast milk weighs more than the standard items in your bag and could easily cause your luggage to surpass the checked bag weight limit. I didn’t consider that and almost ended up paying an extra fee for my checked bag.
Alcohol Test Strips
Alcohol test strips aren’t necessary unless you plan on drinking alcohol on your trip. But in my case, I knew I would enjoy a couple of margaritas while sitting poolside in Mexico. I purchased these test strips to check if my milk was safe before I froze it. I also use these at home for peace of mind when I have a glass of wine.
If you need a comprehensive packing list for all your travel needs, I’ve got you covered! I created the ultimate packing list for your upcoming adventures, including carry-on essentials, toiletries, clothing, and location-specific items.
Pack Your Bags
Next up is the packing process. Even on a normal trip, packing can often be a little stressful. But throw in all the gear necessary for pumping and it can slowly become a nightmare. That’s why I put together this how to travel with frozen breast milk in your checked luggage guide to take the guesswork out of the equation for you.
Carry-On & Personal Item
Your carry-on bag is where you’ll want to store the most important items that you’ll need on your person. During my trip to Mexico, I flew with my Away Everywhere Bag as my small carry-on bag and my backpack as my personal item. That way, I could pack my larger breast pump in my carry-on and my travel breast pump in my backpack. For your carry-on bag, you’ll want to include the following items:
- Larger breast pump
- Extra set of pump parts
- Bottle soap, sponge, and sterilizer bags
- A few extra breast milk storage bags and galloon size Ziploc bags just in case
You’ll want to pack anything that you’ll need at your fingertips in your personal item, such as:
- Travel breast pump
- A set of pump parts
- Breast pump wipes, Clorox wipes, and Wet Ones
- Travel breast milk storage container
- Nursing/pumping cover
- Pumping bra (if you don’t wear your pumping bra to the airport)
Checked Luggage
You’ll use your checked bag to store everything else. Most importantly, the cooler that will eventually hold your frozen breast milk, the reusable ice packs, in addition to your clothing, shoes, toiletries, and anything else you might need on your journey. If you’re a notorious over-packer, I recommend doing a trial packing run before you leave for the airport. Fill the cooler with a couple of rolled-up towels or clothing items, and keep it in your suitcase as a placeholder while packing everything else. That way, you won’t be tempted to overpack while the cooler is empty and not taking up as much space.
Traveling with your mini travel buddy? If so, check out my Baby Travel Essentials blog post that outlines everything you need for an adventure with your little one.
Pumping While Traveling
If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance that, at some point, you’ll need to pump while on the go. My trip to Mexico was my first time pumping while traveling, and I admit I was a little nervous leading up to it. However, with a bit of preparation, the process ended up being relatively straightforward. Below are the steps to follow when pumping while traveling:
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
- If you’re not wearing your pumping bra, change into it and get your clothing situated.
- Sanitize the surfaces that you will touch and use during the pumping process.
- Throw on your pumping cover.
- Start pumping!
- Store your breast milk in a portable breast milk cooler.
- Wipe your parts with the Medela breast pump wipes and store them in a clean Ziploc bag.
- Store all your supplies in your bag, and enjoy the rest of your flight, boat ride, or road trip!
How to Freeze Your Breast Milk
Next up is properly freezing your breast milk. You’ll want to ensure that your hotel or accommodation has a freezer that you can utilize for breast milk storage. Thankfully, we stayed at a house in Mexico, so we had a full-size refrigerator and freezer at our disposal. If you’re staying at a hotel, you might need to get a little creative. You can use the mini fridge’s freezer, buy a styrofoam cooler and fill it with ice, or ask the hotel if they can help you with breast milk storage.
The two most important things to remember when storing your breast milk are to ensure you get all the air out of the breast milk storage bags and lay the bags flat in the freezer. Both of these tips will help you when it’s time to pack your cooler to store your frozen breast milk in your checked luggage for the flight home. Below is a helpful video about how to get all the air out of the breast milk storage bags:
Flight Home Preparations
The end of the trip is always a little hectic as you try to repack your bag and deal with the post-trip sadness that sets in. When traveling home with frozen breast milk in your checked luggage, you’ll need to take a few additional steps in preparation for the flight home. The night before you depart, follow these simple steps:
- First, organize your frozen breast milk bags and store them in gallon-size Ziploc bags. This will keep the individual breast milk bags closer together, helping them maintain their temperature.
- If you have a large freezer available, the next step is to pack your cooler with the Ziploc bags full of frozen breast milk and place the reusable ice packs all around the breast milk. Ensure the reusable ice packs are frozen before you pack the cooler.
- Lastly, store the entire cooler in the freezer overnight. This will guarantee the entire cooler is as cold as possible before leaving for the airport.
If you don’t have a large freezer available, organize your breast milk and keep everything in your freezer for as long as possible before you depart. That will include the reusable ice packs since you’ll want them frozen to keep your breast milk as cold as possible.
Pack Your Bags (Again)
On the day you depart your destination and head home, pack your cooler right before you need to zip your suitcase shut and leave for the airport. Keeping your breast milk in the freezer for as long as possible gives you the best chance of making it home safely and frozen. Once your suitcase is closed, use the luggage scale to check if your bag is over the weight limit. The standard weight limit is 50 lbs; anything above that, you’ll be charged a fee. If you don’t care about potentially paying a little extra, then you can skip this step.
Tip: Consider using a TSA-approved lock on your checked bag for extra security and peace of mind.
Final Thoughts
Traveling without your baby can be an overwhelming journey to begin with. You might be feeling sad about being apart from your cutie for the first time, excited about getting away, and nervous about pumping on the go – all at the same time. Throw in the additional effort it takes to pump and travel with breast milk, and you could easily find yourself in a stress spiral. That’s why I created this guide for how to travel with frozen breast milk in your checked luggage. My hope is that it helps another fellow nursing mama out there successfully bring home her frozen breast milk after a much-needed getaway.
Have you traveled with breast milk before? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
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