Breast milk and travelling

[Mammamummymommy]

Hello I wonder if anyone can help, I’m due to fly longhaul next month, a 16 hour trip with a two year old and a four month old! We’ve got a stop in Dubai. I’m breastfeeding at the moment and I’m trying to figure out how best to take breast milk with me so if it’s not convenient to actually breastfeed (ie in queues to board or at immigration etc) I can just give her some breast milk in a bottle if she’s really hungry.

What is confusing me is how I keep expressed milk chilled for all that time. The airline says I can chill milk in their fridges, but what about before? A two hour wait at the airport this end after check in, then a three hour layover in Dubai etc... just no idea how best to keep the milk from spoiling!

And on another note, has anyone had any problems breastfeeding in Dubai airport? Or carrying milk with them?

Thanks so much for any advice offered, I’m getting stressed trying to plan everything and cover every contingency of travelling with babies!

When I was EBF and traveling I found I just had to feed her on demand, from the breast. Any expressed milk had started to turn after 2ish hours in my bag. Maybe take a cool bag which could keep it for a bit longer, but I don't think you'll be allowed to take liquids through airport security anyway?
I'd take a floaty scarf to cover up in case they did have a problem with it. You're brave doing a long haul flight with two small people! Hope it all goes well.

I've just googled this. You can't take frozen breast milk in hand luggage but can take up to 2000ml of breast milk. you can take cooling gel packs too. So you'd have to have an insulated bag with cool packs to store the milk in. I'd also pack the bag with ice and then remove it at security. Once you get through security, I would ask in an airside bar for more ice.

And a check in the Dubai airport website tells you that they have dedicated baby rooms with breastfeeding areas. You need to ask at an info desk.

Sounds like an absolute faff. I would just feed her to convenience!

A feed just before you land, or while everyone is gathering belongings etc so she's full before immigration. A feed after you've checked your bags, before security, so she's full before that wait. Should be fine by 4 months. She should be able to go 2-3 hours without a feed really.

I travelled extensively with BM
I just used a PackIt, lasts 6-8hrs ice cold no problem, 2-4 more hours chilled and then your milk is still ok for 12-24hrs if fresh (not from freezer)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Packit-Mini-Freezable-Lunch-Bags/dp/B00IDOE8DA/ref=mpssa112?ie=UTF8&qid=1534717578&sr=8-2&pi=ACSX2366SY340QL65&keywords=packit%2Bbag&dpPl=1&dpID=41ZQzpYnxZL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1
But I'd just feed anywhere - maybe under a cover in Dubai I have no idea how insane it might be there

Thank you everyone! birdsandblips, did you have any issues with the gel that keeps the bag cool, they were fine with that at security?!

I think one of the best things about breastfeeding is that you can take babies anywhere without worrying about sterilizing bottles and all that faff. It takes a lot of the stress out of holidays.

We travelled a lot when dd was still breastfeeding and I've discreetly fed her on aeroplanes, buses, airports, museums. Never had a problem anywhere.

Never had a problem and I travel to Asia USA Europe incl. stops in Dubai