Expressing at airports!

[Tissy]

I'm going to have to go to a conference in October, the first time away from dd (who will be 9 mos old). I'm managing to fly down and back in a day- leaving at 7 am and returning at 9pm. Dh will be left with some bottles of EBM, and I'm going to need to express at least twice in the course of the day. Does anyone know what the Mother/ Baby facilities are like at Glasgow and Manchester airports? I doubt very much if the conference centre has anywhere private,and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to make time during the conference!

I went away for a hen weekend when dd was about 5 months old and exclusively breastfed. Expressing was a bit of a drag but it's MUCH easier if you don't try and save the milk - no need for sterilising, cool bags etc etc.

Basically, I just kept disappearing to the loo. I found I rarely had time to do a full express except last thing at night but did it often enough I didn't seem to get any problems.

It helps to practice expressing standing up (you rarely want to sit for long periods on a public toilet!), and you definitely want a non-battery operated pump or people will look at you strangely when you emerge.

Don't forget extra breast pads and a spare top. Oh and a waterproof ziplock bag for the pump or you end up with dribbles of milk on your papers...

I hadn't thought of not saving the milk! I'm a little bit twitchy about my stockpile at the moment, but if its looking healthy in October, that would save an awful lot of bother!

I had a romantic(!) weekend away with dh whilst B/F no.3 and, since I had plenty of milk in the freezer I just chucked it. Heartbreaking but definately less haasle trying to preserve it. Probably best just to express enough for physical relief as Phillipat suggested. Enjoy your conference