Reader Questions: Nursing and Pumping on an Airplane

I recently got a great question from Andy who said:

Your blog is wonderful but it does not address the issue of expressed breastmilk. I breastfeed my seven month old, but I also pump and supplement with formula due to diminished supply. In addition, we have started solids. When I show up at the airport for my international flight with my pump, pump accessories (and endless Medela bottles), expressed BM, dry formula, baby jars (applesauce, etc.), enough for a 40 hour trip (two international airplane rides and a 7 hour car ride to follow), what should I expect?

First of all, Andy, kudos to you for sticking it out with breasfeeding... it's not always easy, even in the best of circumstances, and the need to pump and supplement certainly doesn't make your job easier.

I have a lot to say on this issue. I have two very young kids, so breastfeeding is not a distant memory for me. E, my oldest, was never able to nurse, which meant that I pumped every single bottle he drank, and I needed to pump on schedule to avoid being incredibly uncomfortable (or worse) I also traveled with formula, because when you rely on an electronic device and batteries to feed your infant son, you always need a backup plan. You can imagine how challenging that was on 24 hour travel days with shuttles, layovers and air flights.

Little D, in an attempt to let us know from day one that she was her own person, never accepted a bottle until she was old enough to sit up and hold a sippy cup, so I nursed her no matter where we were. Nursing was so much easier than dealing with bottles that I was always grateful, but there were definitely some awkward moments

I want to give a detailed response to this question, so I am going to split my answer into several different posts. I'll run the posts over the course of the next two weeks. Here's what you can expect to see me cover: (Update: Links to all the articles in this series appear below)

• Finding A Quiet Place to Nurse or Pump in the Airport
• Pumping and Nursing in the Airport
• Pumping and Nursing on a Plane
• Packing Checklist for Pumping and Nursing While Traveling

Please let me know in comments if there is anything you think I'm missing or anything specific you want to make sure I cover

Filed Under: breastfeeding

0 comments | Posted on May 22, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

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