Flying with expressed milk (without a baby!)

[BananaHammock23]

I'm going on a hen do for two nights abroad and leaving my 11mo breastfed baby at home with her other parent. This will be the first time I've left her so feeling quite anxious but looking forward to it!

I know I will have to pump while I'm away but I'm hoping I can bring the milk back with me in an ice bag. Will this be an issue going through customs? Anyone else done this?

Thanks!

I have with a baby, but never not. They made me taste it.

Just pump and dump. I can’t imagine they would agree that you need to travel with it with no baby in attendance, and an 11 month old won’t be desperate for it. Just pump extra in the days/weeks leading up to the trip and freeze it.

I loathe to pump and dump but I suppose the worst that could happen is they say I can’t take it through 🤷‍♀️ if I decant into bags under 100ml I can’t see that they’ll stop me

You’d have to have no toiletries and you can’t take ice packs though. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes you can: see government website https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/baby-food-and-baby-milk

2000ml not 100ml and no baby required. You can take ice packs. This change brought the UK in line with the EU so unless you’re travelling long haul it will be fine.

The first words are literally “when travelling with a baby”………

And the second paragraph states:

“You can carry breast milk in hand luggage even if you’re not travelling with a baby. You cannot carry frozen breast milk in hand luggage.”

Brilliant @PurBalthank you!

Why wouldn't you pump and dump? You won't be able to keep it cold....?

Pump and Dump, trying to get it back sounds like more hassle than it's worth.
No need to worry about alcohol levels in your system, getting into your milk.
No worries bout sterilising equipment.
No worries about keeping it cold
No worries about getting it on a plane or.being asked to taste it.

Pump and Dump!

I don’t think you can fly with the milk without a baby, you can bring lots of liquids through security with an infant but not without.
Plus there’s just no way it’s going to last in just an ice bag for like 6-8 hours. It’s just not worth the faff.

Surprised by the overall pump and dump consensus! I don’t drink so not worried about milk alcohol levels (wouldn’t be that worried even if I did drink tbh). Hotel has a fridge, where milk keeps for 6 days, and I’m only gone for 2. Just the journey back in a cool bag or flask which I also don’t feel too worried about for 6ish hours. I’ll try and bring it back and see what happens. Can’t bear the thought of wasting two days of pumped milk!

Your hotel fridge will not be appropriate enough to store this milk, it’s not worth the risk to your baby.

I had the same mindset as you as I hate pumping and dumping. But hygiene comes first.

Not a chance I’d be taking the risk with a hotel fridge and then a flask or ice packs. It won’t stay at 4 degrees, and the risk of bacterial growth is pretty high. I’d pump and dump.

Not a chance in hell I’d be happy using a hotel fridge and then ice packs! Just dump it

It seems like such an unnecessary risk though. 6 hours out of the fridge is hugely on the upper end and you won’t be able to keep it fully cool because you can’t have ice through security.
I just don’t see why you would feed your baby possibly unsafe milk.
Just dump it, your milk regenerates every day. I don’t understand why people act like breast milk is finite.

Do you actually need to pump? I know everyone is different, but when ds was that age I could easily have gone that long without needing to pump (and did) - supply is well established so you don't need to worry about maintaining it. So you only really need to pump if you get uncomfortably full.

I understand not wanting to dump it, but your baby's health comes first here. It's unlikely that the milk will be kept cool enough in a hotel fridge, and also on the plane journey, to be safe to give to your baby.

Note that's UK airport guidance - it may not cover wherever you are flying to, and lots of countries have differing guidance based on whether the baby is physically with you, or not.

I'd have felt sick at the idea of throwing away 2 days of pumped milk; but I equally wouldn't feed my baby milk kept in a hotel fridge and then with ice packs, there's no way it'll be kept in the right temperature range, sadly. You could use it for baths if you get it home but given the extra stress, this is one of very few occasions where I'd pump and dump, if taking baby isn't an option.

Op I wouldn't want to risk giving youd baby milk which has been out the fridge for hours.

Go enjoy your few days away, pump to keep your supply up and your own comfort but forget trying to store it and bring it back to the UK.

Op if you had a pint of cows milk in a hotel fridge would you even consider trying to bring it home?

But why would your almost one year old need two days worth brought back?
When will he get through the excess?

@Annascaul I was thinking that too. But think Op just doesn't want to 'waste' milk.
Yes expressing is hard work and a PITA but it's less of a faff if your not worried about sterilising the pump in-between uses and your just trying to keep supply and comfort.