How to Travel Like a Breastfeeding Boss

There’s nothing like flying home with two gallons of breast milk in your carry-on bag—stored in multiple Nalgene water bottles, packed in ice from an airport bartender—to come up with a better way to get that liquid gold home.

That’s the story behind Milk Stork, the first ever breast milk shipping service that makes it easy for moms to ship (or tote) their milk home. Founded in 2015 by Kate Torgersen—after pumping for her eight-month-old twins on a four-day work trip—she wanted traveling moms to have better options. As a mom of three, Torgersen knows a thing or two about traveling when you’re pumping, and shares her best travel advice.

Know the TSA breast milk guidelines

If you're flying, print out the TSA guidelines for traveling with breast milk. Even though the TSA has come a long way when it comes to breast milk (it’s exempt from the 3.4 ounce liquid rule!), there are stories in the news every day about moms facing off with agents who don’t understand their own policy. Know your rights and be ready to claim them.

Request a fridge

Call your hotel ahead of time to confirm you'll have a refrigerator and find out if there will be an additional cost. If there isn’t one in your room, request access to one in the hotel where you can refrigerate your milk and freeze your ice packs. (Pro tip: If you’re freezing your milk at the hotel, store your milk bags flat on a piece of cardboard and label with your name and room number.) ”A pumping mom’s best friend is predictability, and knowing what you’re walking into,” says Torgersen.

Plan your pump places

Scout places to pump before you leave home at both the airport (these airports go the extra mile for breastfeeding moms), and your final destination. “There’s nothing worse than being engorged and looking for an outlet,” says Torgersen. “It’s like going on a road trip with an electric car and not knowing where you’re going to charge.” The Mamava app has over four thousand (non-bathroom!) places to pump all over the country.

Pack the mom must-haves

Torgersen calls gallon-size zippered plastic bags “the greatest gift to pumping moms.” Use them to store your milk storage bags or ice. Plus, keep a supply of wipes handy for quick pump parts cleaning. (Check out more hacks for cleaning your pump parts on the go!)

Be your own advocate

Non-breastfeeding people don’t always understand pumping—what it is, why you do it, how long it takes—so be open with your travel companions and/or coworkers about what you need. Ask for predictable breaks, a private lactation space, and time to pump. “We have to have those conversations, even though they’re awkward,” says Torgersen.

Take advantage of alone time

It’s hard to be away from your babe, but use the alone time to turn a work trip into a mini-vacation. Have a glass of wine. Make the hotel bathroom into your own personal spa and savor a long shower—shave your legs! Read a book! When possible, schedule your first meeting later in the morning and enjoy a full night of sweet (uninterrupted) sleep.

Mamava designs solutions to empower breastfeeding and pumping parents on the go, like our freestanding lactation pods, Mamava’s lactation space locator app, and other helpful resources.

CTA blog