Babies whose regular schedule is disturbed by travel may find solace in breastfeeding. Breast milk keeps babies hydrated in addition to giving them the best nutrition. Even in hot weather, breastfed infants under six months do not need to drink any liquids, even water.
Nevertheless, if you are traveling without your baby, you may need to take specific steps to maintain your milk supply. You can express milk and store it, send it home, or “pump and dump” (pumping and dumping) breast milk while away from your baby.
Many parents worry about keeping their milk supply full while traveling. If you can, feed your infant as regularly as you would during breaks to express milk. A manual or battery-powered breast pump can be your best bet for expressing milk in a car, plane, or another mode of transportation.
Check breast pump and milk in frozen packages if necessary. Make sure to inquire with your hotel or another lodging place about getting a small refrigerator for your room. Milk storage bags and food-grade containers with tight-fitting lids made of glass or BPA-free plastic are good options for storing extracted milk. Milk should be kept in the freezer or refrigerator’s rear, where the temperature will likely remain steady.
Freshly expressed milk can be transported for up to 24 hours in an insulated cooler bag with ice packs. Use the milk straight away, put it in the fridge, or freeze it once you reach your destination. If the milk has ice crystals, when you get there, you can refreeze it.
You can continue breastfeeding your infant even if your milk supply starts to decline while you are away, and in most situations, your milk supply will return to normal within a few days. After long separations, babies who have grown accustomed to using a bottle or cup may find it challenging to resume nursing. If you have trouble breastfeeding after reuniting with your child, a lactation specialist’s assistance may also be helpful.
