Tips for Pumping Mamas to Make Traveling Easy(-ier)
Traveling for nursing/pumping mamas made easy(ier)! I spent the last week in March traveling to Vegas for a conference followed by a girls weekend. Even with planning pumping-friendly outfits and amazing pumping gear it’s still stressful.
As a third-time pumping & breastfeeding mama, here are my top tips and favorite gear for traveling while pumping:
What to wear: Opt for loose pumping-friendly pieces. I love wearing the Coziest Cardigan when I fly (it's the perfect airplane cardigan) paired with our Everywhere V-Neck Nursing + Pumping Tee or a basic tank (I'm wearing one of our prototypes in this photo).
What to Pack:
* Pack a wearable pump so you can pump on the go, on the plane, wherever you need. I use the Elvie Stride. I purchased through Aeroflow and was able to get mine covered by Insurance. It's been a game changer for me!
* Consolidate your chargers, my laptop charger is compatible with my @elvie
Gear to make pumping & traveling easier:
* Sarah Wells Pumparoo bag - I store my pump parts in this, and my frozen milk on the way home which keeps is cool.
* Ceres Chiller for storing milk I pump while at the airport or on the flight
* Junobie silicone milk storage bags
At the airport:
* Map out the mothers room or Mamava pods. Make sure your download the Mamava App before you go. This is where you can locate the closest pod and get the entry code to access the pod.
* Traveling with frozen milk is easier to navigate with TSA. Bring a cooler bag with you (mine doubles as a pumping bag when I travel). If you're traveling with liquid milk, they will test your milk. make sure the agent puts on fresh gloves before handling your milk.
* Add ice to your cooler bag and/or your Ceres Chill once you get through security so everything stays cold. Freshen your ice on the plane if it's a long flight.
**Tip: Your pumping bag counts as a medical device, not as a second carry-on! Let the gate attendant know and it shouldn’t be a problem.
At the hotel:
* Ask your hotel for a mini fridge in your room if it’s not available. Otherwise they should offer to store your milk for you, be sure to bring a large bag labeled with your name and contact info if this is the case.
It’s not easy to travel while pumping but it can be easier with these tips. Pump on mama, you've got this.
