Flying with a breast pump/bottles

[AllNightMilkBar]

I am going away for work in about 3 weeks time. I am only away for about 48 hours, so planning for hand luggage only.

But, I am still breastfeeding DS2, who will be 7 months old when I go (not sure that bit is relevant!). I have been storing a frozen stash so that he doesn't have to have formula. But, I will therefore need to express while I am away.

I don't think I am going far enough to need to express en route, except for the timing of the flight being at a normal feed time, so if it comes to it, I could check luggage in. But, I don't want to be separated from it, just in case it gets lost in transit and I'm then stuck overseas with no means of expressing.

Does anyone know the rules on bottles etc for hand luggage, given that they are all over 100ml, will be empty on the way out, but probably full on the way back if I don't just dump it (might have to)?

Not sure about the rules but if you are just expressing for your own comfort have you thought about hand expressing and then dumping it. Know it will be a waste but it might help you get through customs.

Thanks - I'm crap at hand expressing, it takes forever, so probably wouldn't be able to do it between meetings etc.

I've tried to get in touch with the airline and am waiting for them to come back to me. I can't be the first person to want to do this in however many years since the restrictions came in, so hoping someone here might have insight.

depends where you are going - other countries don't have the liquids rule.

generally they allow babies bottles although make you taste it although maybe different if no baby is with you? otherwise why not just have lots of 100ml bottles - the small avent ones are 125ml for example so just fill to 100ml?

my SIL went abroad and travelled with pump in hand luggage, except it got lost (she got a lift somewhere and it got left in car) - her relations had to phone around at 1am their friends looking for a pump.

I'm t a bit of a loss re why the bottles would be full?? Surely you will just pump and dump as you won't be able to keep and use milk that isn't put straight into freezer anyway?? So you just need the pump and it's attachment bottle which will be no problem I think. I took my electric pump for this reason when away for 3 days. Can't for the life of me remember whether I put it in hand or hold baggage, but I think it would probably have been hand baggage as I would have wanted to be sure that it wasn't lost.

As I understand it, you're not allowed to take a container greater than 100ml, regardless of whether it is full or empty, so I did't think I would be able to take any bottles into the plane with me, even the 125ml ones. I had to surrender a couple of bottles of shampoo etc a year or two back that were in 120ml bottles, even though they were only half full. It's certainly Europe wide that it applies to.

I'm sure I will dump it, but the hotel does have fridges in the rooms, and as it is only 48 hours that I am away, I toyed with the idea of bringing it back (who likes throwing away their hard earned milk?) as it is ok to keep in the fridge for that long. Probably hideously impractical, but there you are!

Will wait and see what the airline have to say about it. Thanks.

Container can be any size as long as empty. You are allowed to bring a big empty water bottle through security and then fill it up at a water fountain, once on the other side. So taking empty bottles through will be no problem. You won't be able to fill them just half way though on the way back. If you want to save the milk, you could pack it on ice and check luggage on the way back.

if you want to bring it back buy 100ml storage containers then.

i bought these, they work well with the avent bottles (big and small) and really keep milk cool for hours. only thought of the small bottles as they look pretty much full with 100ml although yes can see that they aren't quite.

keep milk cold

how about this:
100ml

You are absolutely able to carry empty containers. (I have done this with 500ml water bottles, and then filled them up again after security.) I think full might be tricky - if the container is a 125ml container, even with only 100ml liquid in it, that's a problem.

So if you want to carry milk back, you need 100ml containers for it. I think it might be more hassle than it's worth though? I know milk is precious, but I know I would worry about the milk having got too warm in transit ...

Thanks - still waiting for the airline to call me back. The directgov website is very specific that a container can not hold more than 100ml (even a 100ml bottle with a gap at the top would be too big, so I don't understand how some of you have been allowed to carry empty water bottles through) which is why I have been tying myself in knots about being able to take bottles with me, even accepting that I would need to dump the milk before I come back.

It does accept that you can carry milk for a baby and that it might be more than 100ml, but it is only meant to be enough for the journey. My concern is that without having a baby with me, they might treat me a bit suspiciously. I'm probably over-thinking it, as I do tend to, and should just forget it and worry about something more important!

On the way out have it all totally empty and completely dry. Explain its your equipment to express breastmilk etc. Pack the lids seperately so its just empty open bottles. Technically though you could use the pump without a collection bottle, eg just attach a breastmilk storage bag on the end.

On the way back, check it in. Use cool packs (the can ones I recommended on a earlier post will keep it cold for several hours, if the milk is chilled before you put it on).

In the really unlikely event your luggage gets lost on the way home you don't need your pump as you'll have your baby and the milk will get dumped when it eventually turns up. Alternatively buy some of the 100ml breastmilk containers. They hold exactly 100ml so would not be a problem.

If you are really worried (and it sounds like you are) then use this:

Essential medical equipment

You are allowed to bring medical equipment if it is essential for your journey. The equipment will be screened separately and must be accompanied by supporting documentation from a qualified medical professional, such as a letter from your doctor.

Get letter from GP/HV saying you are breastfeeding and travelling without your baby so ou need to travel with your breastpump & collection bottles or you will be engorged/develop mastitis.

As you say there is an exemption for baby milk but obviously you are not with your baby.