Travelling abroad with 5month old..can i take a flask of boiling water through security

[meagain3]

I obviously need to have the means to make Ds milk when in airport/on plane. He can’t have ready made milk as it gives him a gut ache. Meaning I will need access to boiling water and pre portioned formula. Can I bring a flask of water and pre measured milk tubs through security? Panicking!

Yes, you will need to take it out at security and they will probably test it but we had no issues bringing a flask of water and food pouches.

I took formula and an empty flask and just had the flask filled up at Starbucks post security

They may make you drink it. This onky happened to me once going to the US to visit family. Not sure if this works for you but you can pre order Aptimil cartons at boots. Or you can research (I have forgotten as my kids are older now) that some (one I think) bottles water was okay which you can buy after security. Having options made me less worried about what would happen if they denied the water.

He can’t have the ready made cartons unfortunately due to dietary requirements. Also need boiling water to make bottles to kill the bacteria in the milk. I guess I could try it and if they pour it away i can go to Starbucks to refill it as pp said is an option!

You don't need a flask of boiling water to make milk. Its not a cup of tea.
He can drink it room temperature. Make it up with evian. Its fine for making formula

You don’t need boiling water. You can use pre boiled water to make up feeds. You can even use Volvic mineral water!

Should add the Volvic must be preboiled.

I suspect they won't let you take boiling water; but depending on the airline you are flying with, they may be able to give you some hot water - it won't be boiling, but the temperature they serve the hot drinks at - and yeah, places like Starbucks etc will also provide water.

Well this is conflicting!! Midwife’s and health visitors always told me that there is bacteria in formula powder so the water must be mixed with the formula at atleast 80 degrees to kill the bacteria

I always take boiling water through in a flask (for baby). They test it in the machine. This is Stansted Airport

Yes it’s fine. Have been through with liquids for babies many times. They’ve never tested it, just checked that it was sterile water for baby.

Ah okay sorry. Yeah next bet is to source it somewhere like Starbucks as you said. Good luck.

How is the water still boiling if it’s been in a flask for a while?

This is correct, you shouldn’t ever make up bottles with cold water

Just get hot water on the plane or any outlets serving hot drinks at the airport. How long is the flight?

Make the bottle up at home with boiling water cool rapidly then heat by standing it in a cup of hot water (Nb some American planes will not give you hot water for this purpose but will give you tea which you can stand the bottle in). The last time I flew to the states with a small baby they wouldn’t let me heat it at all. Poor baby wouldn’t take cold milk. On the way back I had a paper cup from a coffee shop and ordered a cup of tea on the plane.

I know nothing about getting the water through security but had to comment and add my voice -you are correct the formula itself needs heating. cold water absolutely not acceptable, unless you mix cooled boiled water after a small hot shot has already sterilised the formula (how the perfect prep machines do it). Very bad advice on this thread 😱

Thought so. He has comfort milk for his dietary requirements and this is super hard to combine with boiling water as it is. Even worse with cool water!

we’re going from Stansted! This is helpful. Thanks :)

the milk is only good for 2hrs once made and stored at room temp. Good for only 4hrs in a cool bag with ice packs. This wouldn’t get us through the time in airport , time on plane and transfer to hotel unfortunately!

I have a Stanley flask. The water stays above 80degrees (as needed to make a bottle and kill any bacteria) for atleast 6hrs. Ive tested multiple times with a thermometer.

We had this recently flying with our baby DD who is on specialist formula too and like you, I was worried.
I took a small flask of 14oz of boiling water through security. I did have to transfer it to a sterile bottle at security as they cannot test it in a vacuum flask . This was done very quickly and was back in the flask within minutes so was still crucially above 70° to kill the bacteria.
Happy to answer any other questions if I can.

Ah right. They weren’t around in my time!

The midwife info is correct. You should never make up a bottle with cold water.

If you're worried about boiling water, I think there are tommee tippee or nuby travel flasks that tell you the water temp and when its ready? Maybe look into those? You could pop some Milton tablets in your hand luggage and sterilise them on the go as well if you need to reuse.

Just got back from a flight yesterday (not stansted) but took pre made formula, shop bought ready made formula and water through security.

I've done this numerous times over the past two years all over the world - never any issue.

Normally baby milk and water needs to be placed in a separate security tray and they have to swab it, but its fine. You'll be fine! 😊