Recommendations for Breastfeeding Families During Travel

What are key recommendations for breastfeeding families during travel?

Summer trips are right around the corner! Some breastfeeding families are apprehensive about travel, not knowing the accommodations for nursing or pumping in all the places they will be.

The US Center for Disease Control has a new webpage dedicated to travel recommendations for nursing families. The page has tips on breastfeeding, such as discouraging water or other liquids when breastfeeding in a hot climate. The CDC also recommends breastfeeding during airplane take-off and landing to help manage ear discomfort related to cabin pressure changes, in addition to breastfeeding ad lib.

Breastfeeding mothers who are traveling without their children need to make decisions on what pump to bring, how to pump on the plane, whether to store or toss their expressed breastmilk, and how to store it safely. They also need guidance on how to navigate through the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) system with their expressed breastmilk. TSA recommends that families bring a printed copy of the TSA rules for breastmilk or other liquids brought in their carry-on baggage.

The US Center for Disease Control’s webpage on Travel Recommendations for Nursing Families is a helpful clinical resource for supporting breastfeeding families.

Travel Recommendations for Nursing Families
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/breastfeeding/travel-recommendations.html

Posted by Heather Knott, RN-IBCLC and Childbirth Educator