I am traveling to Germany next month with my 11 month old. She is still nursing and I'm not sure what regulations they have on flying with pumped breast milk and/or nursing on the plane. Does anyone know if I can pump a couple of bottles or nurse her if necessary? Also, any suggestions for making the flight as comfortable as possible for my baby and other passengers? You can do either - pump or nurse on the plane.
As long as your child is with you, you are able to take as much formula, breast milk, or regular milk that you will need for you child for the duration of the time you will spend in the airport and on the flight (as long as it is within reason). And no, you will NOT have to taste it - no matter what form you bring it in.
All that you must do is:
1. Separate the milk from the liquids, gels, and aerosols in your quart-size (1 liter) zip-top bag.
2. Declare you have the items to one of the Security Officers at the security checkpoint.
3. Present these items for additional inspection once reaching the X-ray. These items are subject to additional screening
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/c...
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesActi...
If you want to nurse on the plane, you are free to. The only thing I suggest is bringing a small sheet or thin blanket to drape over yourself so you are not exposed to everyone while you feed your child.
I've been flying internationally and domestically with my children since they were 2 months (now 8&5 and baby number 3 was born 23 December). At least three trips a year are the children and I traveling internationally (14+ hours each way) alone. In addition to that, we do another 8-10 international and domestic flights a year as a family. I have never had any problems with my children on any of the flights. Here are a few other tips and suggestions:
1.) You will need to have all your daughters documents in order. It is a good idea to keep a copy of her notarized birth certificate with you.
Since it is an international trip, you will need a passport and possibly a visa for your child as well.
Keep your doctors name and number with you. Also get the name and number of a doctor where you are visiting in case an emergency should come up.
Another thing you should consider bringing with you is your childs immunization book. That way if any emergency should arise while you are on vacation (no matter where you are) the treating physician will at least have some verifiable information to go on. This book also usually includes what your child is allergic to, and some small but very helpful notes from your doctor.
Verify what travel documents you will need in advance to make sure you have everything.
2.) Not all children have a problem with the pressure changes in their ears. If yours does however you'll want to know how to help. For take-offs and landings (the WHOLE way up, and starting from the BEGINNING, or TOP of descent), the best ways to alleviate ear pressure are to:
*Give her something to drink (milk, water, juice - it doesn't matter)
*Give her a pacifier to suck on
*Give her hard candy or mints to suck on
*Give her gum to chew
*Place hot damp towels (usually like the ones distributed to first and business class before take-off and landing to freshen up with - just ask a flight attendant for them) or paper towels that have been soaked in hot water and wrung out, at the bottom of two paper or styrofoam cups, then hold the cups over the ears
*Gently but with some pressure, rub her neck repeatedly from the chin to the base of the neck. This will cause a swallowing motion that will relieve pressure build-up in the ears.
You can also try using a decongestant. It is always best to check with your doctor before using any type of medications though, to make sure you are using the one best suited to your childs needs. I personally have found pain relief medications don't really help, and at least in my experience, decongestants are a waste of money.
3.) Keep your diaper bag well stocked with plenty of wipes, ointments and other essential things. Just remember the new law regulating liquids, gels, and such and pack accordingly. http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal...
You can usually find travel size baby products in stores and they are wonderful for plane use. One thing I always like to carry with me is hand sanitizer! I always wipe the trays down with that (followed by a baby wipe) and use it for my kids after taking them to the bathroom (even though they wash their hands). I know that airplane bathrooms are not the cleanest, so that is why I try to be vigilant.
Be sure to pack 2-3 changes of clothes for your child. You will need this in case she gets sick, spills something on herself, or in case your luggage gets lost.
Bring any medications that you might need for your child should she get sick or that she takes regularly. Remember that if they are not prescription medications, the 3oz (100ml) rule applies to them and they must be kept in a clear plastic bag. http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal...
Do NOT give your child medicine with the hopes of it making her sleep. This is not only cruel, but dangerous as well. I have also seen where it backfires; a parent gives their child a dose of Benedryl to make them sleep, but instead it gets the child more hyper and the parents get absolutely no rest on the flight (and neither does anyone else).
Try to change her diaper as close to boarding as possible. This will help to make you daughter feel fresh and more comfortable for take-off (which could also mean less problems).
4.) Bring Snacks! just add water packets of food, cheerios, goldfish, animal crackers, dried fruit, etc. are great. New regulations also allow you to take beverages (including water) from home as long as they are less than 3oz (100ml), -OR- beverages (including water) of any size that you have purchased from inside the security area onto planes. You can also bring a limited amount of baby food, yogurt, cheese, puddings, etc. with you also as long as they are in containers less than 3oz (100ml)
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/p...
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesActi...
5.) Make sure to pack plenty of things to entertain your child, such as a few books, toys, a portable DVD player (be sure to bring extra batteries) or let her use your laptop (make sure it's fully charged) with a few movies, and one or two comfort things such as a favorite blankie or stuffed animal. I always bring a small pillow and blanket from home for my children (even now) because I know 100% that they are clean, and my children are accustomed to them.
My children like to bring along their own coloring books, a Doodle Pad, their Leap Pads (with a few booklets), and scrap paper that they can make their own drawings with and play games such as tic-tac-toe. My daughter used to like to bring along a doodle bear when she was younger so that she could draw on that as well, and my son likes to bring along some action figures to play with. I found that buying a Rose Art kit is great! It has crayons, markers, coloring books, coloring sheets, and stickers that they can color. It definitely keeps them entertained!
You can also play games like pat-a-cake, or I-spy, and tell stories to your child as well. If you tell a story, try to make it an interactive one where your child has a part in it so she stays interested.
You might also consider going to the store and letting your child (I let my children start this at the age of one) pick out her own carry on bag and a few inexpensive toys that will be used only once you are on the plane. Be sure to pick out a few toys without her seeing so that she has an extra surprise when she opens her carry on.
I wrote a small article about flying with children that goes more in-depth, gives airport security rules and regulations for the US, EU, and UK, plus offers tips and tricks for the travel, etc. http://www.angelfire.com/jamiehassen79/f...
If I can be of any more help or assistance, please feel free to contact me. I wouldn't suggest pumping bottles to carry on. I remember right after 9/11 there was a story on the news regarding a nursing mother who had to drink all 6 bottles of her own breast milk for security because they didn't believe that it was safe to take on board. I'd definitely call the airport and ask them what is the best way to go about it. If you get a large blanket to hold over yourself and your baby while nursing I don't see why they wouldn't let you nurse while on board. As for the other passengers, most probably won't even notice if you are sitting in your seat while you do it. I've both nursed and pumped on transatlantic flights myself. All three of my children were breastfed and my younger two were nursed as toddlers on flights. I have flown a lone with all three many times between Europe and California, plus shorter flights in between.
You're allowed to bring pumped milk on board but the practicalities of doing so might be more the problem than any security regulations.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/c...
I was a Flight Attendant for 13 years. I had lots of nursing mothers on board and there was never a problem.
I actually didn't pump when I was a passenger with my child. I pumped when I worked. I do have to warn you that breastmilk is hard to keep from spoiling on an airplane and cleaning the pump was a pain. Because I had another flight to catch, I had to pump and dump. Kind of a shame, I know but there was no other way. Managing to pump and feed is another whole matter.
A few years ago I wrote an article on the subject of flying with children. I expanded it and put it on a blog. It's totally non-commercial and I have a whole section on pumping and flying, some of it based on my own limited experiences but a few mothers who did with their children contributed to that part. It's long so scroll down to the part about exclusive pumping.
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
There are lots of other flying tips in there so please visit it so that this answer isn't too long. Remember that most of what you read on the net is NOT written by parents who worked in the industry as I have. They've only flown with their own children. I've done both (and sat through all those security classes, tests & videos...)
So, in brief, if you can possibly directly breastfeed, do that. Bottles are a pain when flying. Airplanes don't have good sinks for washing bottles. I used the kind of bottles with disposable liners which are much easier but it still wasn't as convenient as breastfeeding.
Just some tips on breastfeeding on airplanes;
-I've seen the most unhelpful suggestion to sit by a window to nurse. This is really difficult with a baby because you have to get up a lot and you would be doing a lot of climbing over the other two people to get out. This is even worse if the baby doesn't have her own seat (which I strongly suggest). Get an aisle seat, especially if you're on your own.
-Make sure you drink a lot. Airplane air is very dry and it's hard to stay hydrated even if you're not breastfeeding. It's even more important when you are.
-If you want to cover up, get your baby used to nursing with one over her before you leave. I got onboard, threw an airline blanket over us and my son grabbed it and flung it off two seconds later (without missing a beat). There was no mystery as to what was going on.
-For a cover-up, I found a sling to be best. Not only does they work great as baby carriers, they're easy to use to cover up the deed. I tried all sorts of different carriers. Bjorns were hopeless. Wraps were too much material. As a nursing mother on many transatlantics, my sling was a g-dsend. No need to drag an extra blanket with you as it serves both (sunshade and baby changer too). Get a good one that opens up wide and has good rings.
-When you get onboard, remove your bra. This helps prevent plugged ducts (sorry if too graphic but it's true) and is easier onboard in general. No fiddling with one at feeding time (more decrete). If you wear something loose and dark, no one will notice, or should notice...
-Bring an extra top and bra for you. It's nice to put a new bra on before landing.
Otherwise, breastfeeding is much, much easier than any sort of bottlefeeding.
Have a good flight! Go to http://tsa.gov for the latest travel restrictions regarding carry-on liquids; if you're not in the US, check the aviation security agency for your country. You will get lots of suggestions here but since the rules change frequently, it's best to check with the people making the rules.
As for nursing... no one really minds it as long as you use a little common sense and modesty. Bring a shawl or blanket so that you can be discreet about it. You can also check with the flight attendants who might allow you to step into the galley after meal service when the galley isn't crowded; this will allow you to walk around, stand up, sit down, etc and have a little more flexibility than trying to nurse in your seat. I wouldn't recommend nursing in the lav--- there's 200 or more people on the plane and at most 4 lav's and it's not fair to occupy one for an extended time.
Another suggestion--- the night before your flight, or the morning of, check the seat map. Loads to Europe this time of year are usually pretty low and you might be able to rearrange yourself and your travelling party to have more seats to yourselves, for example if there are 2 of you and the baby and you're in a plane that has 2-4-2 seating, move to the inner set of 4 seats and not only will you have more space, you can move way to the innermost seat when it's time to nurse and be away from the aisles and onlookers. We fly a lot with our youngest who uses a straw cup now. I have had to open the cup and a few times have been asked to drink a sip of what is in it (always water) but to me it's no big deal since I would rather be safe. Also, if it's a long haul flight I have asked in the past if they would put my son's bottles in the fridge on the plane and they were happy to help me. You can probably pump a few bottles in advance, but i dont know if you can do it while your on the plane. |
