Travelling, Breastfeeding, Pumping on the go

[shice]

hi.. wanna check if TSA guidelines is only for USA or worldwide? coz i went to their website, they r an organisation from USA. TIA!

 

[clouds_54]

Hi Mummies

Am abit confused reading the posts still. So can I hand carry the medela cooling element up the plane? Coz it's actually liquid inside........... I will bring the medela PIS backpack with the pump, cooler bag containing the cooling element and 4 empty bottles.

 

[shopperholicanonymous]

cooling element: yes you can. I did it many times before. I tried bringing ice too but they made me toss away the ice.

TSA: when they challenged me, i showed them the TSA printout in china and they then let me pass through with the milk.

 

[shopperholicanonymous]

ps: i just travelled within china last month

 

[clouds_54]

Thanks Pamela! I m going to Aust, be pumping once on plane. But Aust quite strict abt bringing in food items. So I guess I shld go by the declare lane n just declare my ebm? N yes I will print out that tsa article on mums bring ebm on planes n bring along.

Btw, I notice mummies here use pigeon sterilizing tablets. I called up Medela Svc ctr n they said no need. Just rinse in hot water will do leh. Hmmmm.... Maybe Aust still ok Coz quite clean. Or I will buy mineral water to boil.

 

[ann01jan]

dear mummies, this thread has been so insightful ! Im going Hong Kong next week for 5 days and hope to bring my frozen EBM back for my 9mth old !

Just like to contribute this link:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2125117_travel-frozen-breast-milk.html

I have bought Styrofoam box and 4 Gel Packs from Zenaco at Hillview Terrace and will be bringing them for the trip, together with my 12-hour Fridge-To-Go.

I intend to use the Hotel Freezer and hope the plane freezer too for storing the Frozen EBM.

I intend to use the Gel Packs for the hotel mini bar to chill my EBM properly. I intend to leave 2 in the freezer and 2 in the hotel mini bar at any one time.

Hoping for the best and will update this thread when I am back from my trip

 

[ann01jan]

Hi, I'm back from my trip. Here's my experience :

1. I travelled with air Macau and they explained no bm on board due to security restrictions. Check in is fine, even the security asked me to use dry ice and check in.

2. My problem was the hotel freezer didn't freeze the bm totally like rock hard. I kept my bm packets n ftg together in hotel freezer. Didn't bring the styrofoam but used cooler bag instead to insulate the FTG. I asked the staff did they put in freezer, they said yes. The milk was partially frozen throughout the fours days. Last day, I packed the FTG with the partially frozen bm n freeze gel surrounding the FTG n put in cooler bag n check in inside luggage bag. After 8 hours, the milk still remain partially frozen. My baby took the breast milk n was ok. So I think somehow the milk didn't turn bad.

3. One thing to note is if u are checking the frozen milk with freeze gel or dry ice, u have to allocate about 7-8 kg excluding your personal belongings n whatever u buy back from the trip.

That's all folks!

 

[jess_sg]

Any breastfeeding mothers who have transport breastmilk as checked in luggages successfully?

I was informed by Singapore Airlines that Incheon Airport do not allow breastmilk as handcarry if my baby is not with me. And was told that checking in as luggages is also not possible. This is really a shocking news to me. How can this be?

Can anyone verify on this?

 

[belleryn]

Hi jess

I've juz returned from Seoul in April with my EBM.. I did not bring any checked in EBM with me to Seoul but I did pump onboard on the way there.

I was aware that we need to declare food stuff to the immigration officers but I did not as I find it troublesome but I did prepare the letter from the TSA and was prepared to show them in case I was asked.. I pass through without any questioning..

I did checked in my EBM on the way back using the method suggested by the mommies above.. And again I passed through without much fanfare..

Hope it helps!

 

[aliciazhang]

wow, I must say this thread is very inspiring!! I really appreciate all the mommies who took the time and trouble to share their experiences and tips here!! I am going to Shanghai for a business trip for 4 days, and thought of pumping and throwing before reading this thread! Now I am going to give it a try. If it works, it will save me a lot of milk in the future too, since I have two more trips each 4-7 days next month to Tokyo and Paris respectively.

After reading through all the threads, I compile a packing list (mainly based on Jajos's post plus tips from other mommies as well).
Can you ladies tell me anything that I miss out? Thank you so much!

(1) To check-in

a. milkbags

b. labels for milkbag

c. 3 tupperware containers (1 for sterilising, 1 for stock flat lying milkbag in hotel freezer, 1 for storage of extra milk bags).

d. Medela pump and accessories and charger

e. Sterilizer tablets (it helps to read the usage if you’ve never used it before. What I did after reading the instructions - I took the Tupperware container and made a marking on it after I filled it up with the desired amt of water for sterilizing. This saves u the trouble for gauging how much water is required/exact for sterilizing purpose each time you need it)

f. Baby detergent

g. Ziplock bags (freezer type and in different sizes)

h. Brush (for cleaning the bottles and pump)

i. Daiso cooler bag *2

j. A pair of scissors

k. A roll of masking tape

l. cloths to wrap the dry ice

m. rubberbands

n. laundry bags

o. Daiso ice blocks * 4 + fridge to go panels*2 ( in case dry ice doesn’t reach)

p. Mother’s milk tea​

(2) To hand-carry to the plane

a. Fridge-to-go bag with Daiso ice block*2 + small storage bottles *4 + freemie collection cups

b. A few milkbags

c. Spectra M1 with charger

d. Nursing cover

e. Big zip lock bags for ice (in case ice block melts or confiscated by customs) to put bottles in

f. Baby mouth-and-hand wipe

g. Hand santinizer

h. Tissue paper

i. Rubber bands

j. TSA policy on carrying on board EBM printed out​

(3) Tips

a. On plane: ask for EBM to be stored in their fridge, if not dry ice, if not, normal ice

b. During stay in hotel:

i. mark container with room number and content

ii. use two ice panels/blocks to chill milk in bar fridge before bring down for freeze, with the other four blocks to freeze in hotel freezer and rotate​

c. On the way back: label dry ice on luggage. Dry ice not exceed 2.5kg​

 

[sylvia00]

Hi Alicia,

How was your trip? Can bring spectra m1 on board the plane? Cos I m planning to bring my spectra 9+ to Hong Kong. .... but do not know if have to hand carry or check in