We have a tradition: every year, we take turns planning a surprise trip for our anniversary. It kind of started as an accident, but this trip has become our most favorite kid-free tradition! Feel free to steal our idea š. This year, we celebrated our seventh anniversary and it was my husband’s turn to plan the trip. Normally, I have fun guessing the destination and bargaining for clues, but this year, there was extra pressure because we were leaving our 5 month old nursing baby behind. I had to plan to pump while we were away at an unknown location!
As we prepared to leave, I had two pumping goals: to not bring back a breast infection as a souvenir and to resume breastfeeding when we returned home.
As our plane began to land, out the window I could see miles of high-rises and the Statue of Liberty…NEW YORK CITY!!! As far as a pump-friendly location goes, he couldn’t have picked a better vacation! I’m happy to say that because of the tips below, I was able to achieve both of my pumping goals and brought back over 72oz of expressed milk.
Are you looking to travel to New York City (or anywhere, really) with a pump in tow? Here’s what I did to make the trip as easy as possible…
Prepare to Pump
Pumping while on vacation is a commitment. It’s not something you can just wing and hope it all works out. I suppose I could have weaned her and transitioned to formula, but frankly, that’s not what I wanted to do. I wasn’t ready to end our breastfeeding journey. All that being said, FED IS BEST!!! But I’ll save that sentiment for a later post š
Read, Read, Read
Once I decided to pump, I started doing some research. I read a lot of blogs and recommendations from people who had done this before. I did a lot of this reading while I nursed, because hey, I had to sit and be still anyways. Reading others’ experiences not only gave me ideas for how I would take this on, but also gave me hope that it was possible!
Practice Pumping
Just like everything else, pumping takes some practice. You would think that you could just stick on the weird looking suction cups and be good to go, but that’s not usually the case. I practiced regularly the last 2 months before our trip. I wanted to make sure I put it together correctly, used it effectively, and knew how to store my liquid gold safely.
Build A Stash
All of this practice was good for another thing too – I was able to collect over 120oz of milk for my baby while we were away. Now look, I definitely don’t have an over-supply, but I knew I needed a reserve so that she would have milk while we were away. It didn’t always happen, but I would make a point to pump in the mornings, about an hour after her first feeding.
For most women, milk production is at its highest in the mornings. Plus, I didn’t want to pump when I knew she would be needing to eat soon after. Because this was really more of an “extra” feeding, sometimes it took me 2 or 3 sessions to fill one 6oz bag. Thankfully, I started early enough that I had time to build my stash over time. Ladies, this is why I’m saying you need to plan and prepare to be away while nursing.
Because “fed is best,” I also purchased a container of formula that could be used as well. My main concern was that my daughter would have what she needed, which is what all mothers want most.
Plan to Pump
The next step is to think through a few questions – How are you going to get through airport security? Where will you be able to pump? What kind of on-the-go sanitation methods can you use?
Breastmilk Through An Airport
A breast pump is classified as a medical device, so the rules of getting through TSA are a little different. Here’s a quick list of need-to-know things:
- Plan to give yourself a little extra time to get through airport security.
- Be upfront with the officers and let them know about your pump and/or expressed milk
- You will probably be asked to remove your pump from its bag for scanning. Pack it towards the top so you don’t have to dig or take everything else out in order to comply.
- Your hands will be tested for certain substances. (No biggie, it feels like a piece of gauze that they rub over your palms)
- You may be asked to undergo a very “thorough” pat-down.
- According to one officer I encountered, if the expressed milk is frozen, you will not need to go through the additional checks
If I had to pick one piece of advice, it would be to give yourself extra time. All of the requirements are pretty common sense, but the length of time to complete them varies so much based on airport traffic, that it really is the greatest unknown.
Definitely do your own research before travelling, but here is a good place to start.
One last word on airports…ask for help. The officers and airport staff know more about this than you do as a first-timer. Ask for advice, about the rules, for ice (gotta keep that milk cold ya know!), or anything else you may need.
Mamava – A Pumping Dream Come True
Mama, let me introduce you to Mamava. They provide private pods to be used as nursing and pumping stations. If you’re on-the-go at all, you need to download their app! You simply have to provide your location, or any address, and it will show you all nearby pods. Once you arrive at a pod, you can see if it is currently occupied and are given an unlock code to get in.
The pods are great! They have multiple outlets, a mirror, nice lighting, and 2 bench seats (a welcomed site after hours of exploring the city!). I know some also include wipes and a sink. Each mirror greeted me with “Lookin’ good mama” stamped along the bottom, which usually just made me laugh.
I used this app constantly on our trip to New York City, and thankfully, there were pods all over the city!
Pump Cleaning On-The-Go
I knew that there would be times on my trip that I wouldn’t be able to save my expressed milk and/or clean my pump as thoroughly as needed. “Pump and Dump” makes any mama’s heart cry, but at times, it frankly wasn’t worth the hassle (and extra weight in my backpack) to keep it. I wanted to enjoy our trip and alone time with my husband, without constantly having to stress about getting milk back to the hotel.
During those times, I chose to just quickly clean my pump with wipes. They actually do make wipes designed specifically for pumps, but I bought some less-expensive pacifier wipes (although I can’t say I loved the fruity smell haha). Looking back, I’m sure regular old baby wipes would have worked in this circumstance just fine.
Pack to Pump
I knew I wanted to travel with a backpack, so that I would have my hands free. I bought a bag specifically for breast pumps, but truth be told, I could have used any regular-sized backpack and been just fine.
As we prepared to leave, I tried to think of the various situations we may find ourselves in: electricity vs no electricity, private vs public settings, or needing to use wipes instead of a sink. Here’s what I packed:
- My breast pump and parts (duh)
- A manual breast pump
- I’m SO glad I had this! I was able to pump during a Broadway show, standing in lines, and at the movie theater.
- Extra bottles/lids
- Milk storage bags
- Sanitizing wipes for on-the-go cleanings
- Nursing cover
- In public, I am more comfortable nursing or pumping with privacy š and a cover made it very easy to discreetly pump wherever we were
- Microwavable sanitizing steam bags
- I used these at the end of every day back at the hotel
- Soft-sided insulated cooler
- Ziploc bags for ice storage
- Bottle brush
- Soap
- Snacks. SNACKS ARE ESSENTIAL. Any other mamas get hangry??
Of course, you can’t plan for every scenario (and your luggage only has so much capacity too), but I do feel like I had the supplies I needed for any situation.
Things you may also want to include:
- A hands-free pumping bra
- Spare parts/tubing
- A water bottle
Pumping Like A Pro
Now that you’ve done all of the preps, planning, and packing, it’s time to enjoy your vacation! Remember that you will need to pump regularly to maintain your supply and to keep yourself healthy and limit the risk of infection.
Have you traveled away from your breastfeeding baby? What worked for you?
Pumping is a lot of work and it does take time and dedication. But with a little planning, you can enjoy your time away from baby and continue your breastfeeding journey.
**Please note that I am NOT a lactation consultant or specialist. Everything in this article is purely from personal experience and things I have learned through my own breastfeeding journey.