23 Easy Tips For Pumping While Traveling Internationally
Pumping While Traveling Without Baby
Last week, I returned from a 12-day trip to Europe. For the entire trip, I was pumping while traveling internationally.
You see, this trip was planned for the fall of 2020. Sadly, COVID delayed our trip for two years, and, in the meantime, I got pregnant and had a child.
That being said, I was going on this trip to Europe.
I love Europe. And, since COVID royally screwed everything up, I hadn’t been abroad in years. Breastfeeding or not, my mind was made up.
It just so happened that our trip fell right around my son turning six months old.
I was not comfortable weaning him that early, so I knew I had to figure out exactly how I was going to pump my way across Europe.
I won’t lie to you…it was not easy. And it definitely wasn’t the most fun thing I’ve done in my life. Traveling with breastmilk internationally is not for the faint of heart.
It took a LOT of time, a ton of pre-planning, very careful timing, and a significant amount of patience…but I did it! And so can you.
Read on to find out exactly how I managed pumping while traveling, what you’ll need, and how I brought home all of my pumped milk (because no way I was dumping that down the drain!).
🏆 In a rush? Here are my TOP tips for pumping while traveling without a baby:
✔️ Label your breast pump as a medical device!
✔️ Get a rechargeable, electric breast pump.
✔️ Notify people (flight attendants, TSA agents, etc.) ahead of time that you’re traveling with a pump and/or breast milk
✔️ Have a plan for freezing expressed breast milk and KEEPING it frozen.
A Complete Packing List For Pumping While Traveling
How To Pump While Traveling
Pumping while traveling is not an easy task.
As I mentioned above, it takes a lot of pre-planning to execute it well- especially if you’re planning to bring your milk home with you.
Since I was traveling for 12 days, I needed a plan well in advance to manage frozen AND refrigerated milk.
I focus here on how to physically pump in the easiest way while traveling.
I go into more detail about storage, cleaning, and traveling with breastmilk internationally later in this post.
1. Get a Rechargeable, Electric Breast Pump
Make your life easier…get a rechargeable, electric breast pump.
I can’t tell you how many times I had to pump and would’ve been unable to find an outlet near me.
With the rechargeable Spectra S1, I was able to charge my breast pump each night, and it would last the entire next day (and longer if I needed it to!).
This made pumping while traveling so much more convenient.
🚨 IMPORTANT: If you are traveling internationally, make sure to check whether or not you will need a power converter for your breast pump!
You will always need an international adapter, but only some breast pumps need converters to change the voltage of the electricity. For example, my Spectra S1 did not. However, others might.
2. Figure Out How You Will Transport Your Breast Pump
It’s no secret that breast pumps are bulky and huge. They are not the easiest things in the world to transport even on the best day…let alone when you are flying or traveling long distances.
As I mentioned above, I have the Spectra S1, which is basically the most unwieldy thing on the planet.
Depending on how long you’re traveling and what else you’ll need to carry with you, I suggest using a pump bag or a separate case for your breast pump.
I used this backpack made specifically for use with a Spectra pump. It fit my pump and my travel cooler in the pump compartment.
However, once I filled the lower area designed for the pump, there was not room for much else. I could fit a book for the plane, but basically nothing else.
If you need more room, I suggest carrying a separate case for your pump. This hard shell one made for a Spectra was perfect for me.
I was able to fit my pump, my cover, my separate pump parts, and my hands-free pumping bra all in the case. That meant the only thing I had to fit into my backpack was my small cooler and my cleaning wipes. Win!
⭐ Tip: Carrying a ton of small pump parts around is exhausting, and they are the last things you want to lose.
These zipper bags made it easy for me to carry all of my parts. I also used a smaller one for the pump part cleaning wipes!
3. Use a Nursing Cover or Poncho
A lightweight nursing poncho is a perfect way to cover everything up if you’re pumping breast milk.
I loved my cover from WeeSprout. It was breathable, left my arms free, and covered me so well that I didn’t need to worry about flashing people.
4. Bring a Hands- Free Pumping Bra
A hands-free pumping bra is a must if you are going to be efficiently pumping while on the go.
My favorite ones are from Kindred Bravely.
They hold flanges in place perfectly, which meant I could focus on doing breast compressions or anything else I needed to do while I was pumping.
5. Have a Travel Cooler
During the day, while you are out and about, you will need somewhere to put your freshly pumped milk.
This travel Medela cooler is what I use in order to store my milk- even while I’m traveling internationally with breastmilk.
It comes with an ice pack and fits four Medela bottles.
I could pump into it all day long and store everything right in the cooler. The cooler is small and fit right into my backpack with no issue!
Each night, I would just freeze my ice pack, transfer milk into bags, and repack again the next morning!
⭐ Tip: I find the Medela bottles much easier to travel with, so I use these adapters with my Spectra breast pump.
They allow me to pump directly into Medela bottles with just two small extra pieces.
6. Know How To Clean Pump Parts While Traveling
While traveling, it is likely that you won’t have constant access to water and soap to wash your pump parts.
I love using the Dapple breast pump wipes to clean on the go. You can get them packaged in a bundle or as individual wipes. Both are fantastic.
I go into greater detail about how to clean pump parts while traveling further along in the blog post.
7. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
I have to say that I expected this part to be worse.
If you’re going to travel as I did, you’re going to have to get comfortable pumping in public places. Otherwise, expect to hole up in bathrooms and miss out on so much of your time abroad.
In my case, we were walking through places like Amsterdam, Bruges, and the beaches of Normandy all day long.
There was no way I could find privacy or be in my hotel room to pump every three hours.
Sometimes…you’ve just gotta make it work.
And that’s okay!
I found that in Europe, most people didn’t even give me a second glance. With the cover on, people can’t see anything.
I pumped at restaurants. I pumped on coach buses. I pumped on airplanes. I pumped on a canal cruise in Amsterdam. I pumped underneath the Eiffel Tower at night. I pumped IN the Louvre.
Trust me. Initially, I cared more than anyone else did.
If you want to be successful at pumping while traveling, you’ll need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
8. Have a Backup Plan for (Literally) Everything
Do not assume that you will be able to find anything where you are traveling. This is especially true if you are traveling internationally like I was.
Plan, plan, and then OVERPLAN for every circumstance.
Know what you will say to hotels when there isn’t actually a refrigerator in your room (even though you called and confirmed that there would be-sigh).
Know how you will address TSA or airline workers when they question your pump.
The number one thing I recommend while overplanning is to bring extra of everything.
What will you do if your tubing breaks? Or if your duckbill valves lose suction? What about if you lose your cover?
Bring two of whatever you can manage. But DEFINITELY bring two sets of pump parts. You do not want to be stranded without parts in the event that you lose them or that they malfunction.
I purchased this kit that had extra backflow protectors and extra tubing for the Spectra, as well as this group of additional duckbill valve parts.
I actually did end up needing the extra tubing and the extra duckbills, as both of my parts lost suction throughout the trip and would come apart while pumping.
⭐ Tip: Bring a manual breast pump with you just in case. That way, even in the worst-case scenario, you still have a way to express milk and (hopefully) avoid mastitis while traveling.
This Medela one fit easily into my suitcase.
9. Do Not Let Your Breast Pump Out of Your Sight- EVER!
No, I’m serious.
If you are flying- regardless of how long your flight is- always carry your breast pump on board with you. DO NOT EVER check your breast pump.
If you do, You have no control over how it is handled, and you always risk losing it.
The same goes for if you are traveling around a city. Pack that sucker in a backpack and keep it moving.
During my trip, the only time my pump was ever apart from me was if the place I was visiting had a no-bags policy AND a coat or bag check. OR if it was locked safely in my hotel room.
For example, at the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam, I was forced to leave my backpack at the bag check.
This was acceptable because I was given a ticket, and I could see exactly where it was kept.
Otherwise, stick with the medical device shpiel and hold on to that pump like it’s your lifeline.
10. Find Support
If appropriate… consider telling the people that you’re traveling with your plan to pump.
Look…if you’re pumping every 3 hours like I was, they’ll figure it out eventually.
If you tell them ahead of time, they can support you when you’re feeling frustrated with this process.
In my case, I was pumping breast milk while traveling across Europe with fellow teachers, students, and parents. I told my fellow teachers (who also happened to be my friends) ahead of time what I was planning to do.
Telling them in advance meant they could help me if I needed it. But, it also meant that they were prepared for me to whip out the pump at a restaurant after we ordered (or, you know, in the middle of a cruise on the Seine in Paris).
Most of all, it meant they could encourage me when I was SO OVER pumping as the days wore on.
This is more important than you know!
Cleaning Breast Pump Parts While Traveling
One of the things I was most worried about was cleaning my pump parts while I was traveling.
It is critical that your parts be as clean as possible and disinfected often, and that is difficult to manage when you don’t have constant access to water.
I used a few strategies to keep my pump parts clean:
11. Wipe Breast Pump Parts After Every Use
The first (and most frequently used) way to keep your pump parts as clean as possible while traveling is to wipe them with wipes after every use.
I found individually packaged breast pump cleaning wipes from Dapple to be incredibly helpful.
I packed a bunch of them in one of the small zipper bags from above and used them each time I pumped.
They are single-use wipes, so they were easy to carry, rip open, and dispose of when finished.
This helped keep my pump parts clean during the day when I didn’t have access to water. Having these meant I could pump anywhere and still clean my parts.
12. While Traveling, Sanitize and Clean Breast Pump Parts at Night
Once you’re back at your accommodations each evening, it is critical that you wash your pump parts.
At my hotel each night, I would wash my pump parts with my Dapple travel soap.
I also brought along a travel bottle brush and drying rack set which allowed me to wash my parts as well as I would’ve at home and then leave them on the counter to dry.
I highly recommend that you also sanitize your pump parts while traveling.
After washing my pump parts each night, I would disinfect them, along with my bottles, with the microwaveable Medela micro-steam bags.
⭐ Tip: If you’re in a hotel room without a microwave (a lot of the hotel rooms in Europe do not have these), I’ve found that the front desk staff is always happy to help– especially if you speak to another woman.
Almost all hotels serve breakfast nowadays and have access to a microwave there or in their staff break room that they’ll permit you to use.
How to Store Breast Milk While Traveling + Tips for Traveling With Breast Milk Internationally
Pumping and storing breast milk while traveling can be a challenge- especially if you’re going to be abroad for a longer length of time.
If you’re traveling for more than 3-4 days and following appropriate milk storage guidelines, you will eventually end up with milk that needs to be frozen and milk that is still just refrigerated.
As you probably know, once breast milk is frozen, it must STAY frozen, making transporting it well all that much harder.
13. Bring More Breast Milk Storage Bags Than You Think You Need
You won’t have the room to bring a ton of bottles with you while traveling, so you’ll need to use some type of storage bags.
I prefer the Medela milk storage bags, as I have never once had a problem with them leaking despite laying them sideways and traveling with them for days.
Each evening, I would separate my breast milk into bags.
It is critical that you fill the bags to capacity (the Medela ones hold 6 ounces) and label the bags correctly with the date. I suggest bringing a Sharpie to do this, as pens don’t write too well on the bags.
You will go through a TON of bags, so bring more than you think you need.
Once you have the bags filled and labeled, they can go in the fridge.
14. How to Freeze Breast Milk While Traveling
Breast milk is only good in the refrigerator for up to four days. After that, it must be frozen.
This adds a whole new challenge to figuring out how to successfully pump breast milk while traveling.
Hopefully, your room has a refrigerator with a freezer. That being said, many of those mini fridges do not have freezers big enough or strong enough for me to trust them with something as valuable as my breast milk.
I found that I had much more success asking the front desk at the hotel to store my milk in their freezer.
Their refrigerators are often larger and significantly more powerful than a mini-fridge.
What I would do is take the collapsible cooler that I brought with me, lay my bags down flat (you need them to be frozen flat in order to fit as many as possible on the way home), and ask the hotel to store the entire cooler in the freezer.
I often ended up asking them to freeze my ice packs, too!
⭐ Tip: If you are going to ask a hotel to store your pumped breast milk for you this will mean that your milk is out of your sight.
Bring a lock for your cooler and use it whenever you are not able to keep an eye on your breast milk.
How to Travel With Frozen Breast Milk
On my trip, we visited three different countries and countless towns and cities.
On five occasions we switched hotels.
This meant that I had to bring my pumped breast milk with me in the morning, leave it on our bus during the day with my luggage, and then transfer it to our next hotel once we checked in.
The best way to do this type of transfer, if you’re out all day without access to a hotel, is to bring a collapsible cooler with extra-strength ice packs.
15. Bring A Collapsible Cooler For Breast Milk Storage
You must have a separate, collapsible cooler in order to make this work.
After a lot of research, I bought this cooler. The reviews are amazing, and I am happy to say that the cooler did not disappoint.
I was able to flatten the cooler almost entirely and pack it in my suitcase on the way over. Once I started using it, I was thrilled to find that it actually was entirely insulated and leak-proof. I couldn’t believe it!
I also love that the zippers allowed me to use a small lock (explained above) to secure my breast milk when it was stored away from me.
16. My Best Pumping While Traveling Secret: Extra-Strength Unfilled Ice Packs
I happened to find these ice packs which come unfilled. They weighed almost nothing on the way over and packed flat, taking up almost no room in my suitcase.
Once I needed them, I filled them up according to the instructions and froze them.
Let me tell you, I was SHOCKED at how well these ice packs worked. The all-purpose ones are the perfect size to fit in the collapsible cooler, and I would layer them with my breast milk.
I had one ice pack on the bottom of the cooler. Then, I would add frozen bags of breast milk (again, be sure to have them frozen flat!). I’d put a second ice pack in the middle of my breast milk, and, finally, a third ice pack on the very top.
These babies kept my milk entirely frozen for more than 12 hours during the day as we transitioned between hotels.
⭐ Tip: Call your hotels or accommodations ahead of time to verify that you’ll have a fridge AND freezer accessible in your room.
Don’t hesitate to let them know that you’ll need access to it for medical reasons.
Maintaining Milk Supply While Traveling Without Baby
Unfortunately, exclusively pumping can impact milk supply.
Anytime you’re exclusively pumping, you’re communicating demand via something other than your baby’s sucking reflex.
I definitely recommend pumping as often as your baby eats. For me, this meant every three hours.
While I was sometimes forced to stretch to four hours, I tried to stick to his schedule as much as humanly possible.
Beyond that, speak to a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) or your OB regarding any advice you might need regarding your breast milk supply.
17. Consider Bringing a Milk Supply Supplement
If you’re pumping while traveling internationally, I suggest bringing a milk supplement just in case you need it. It is better to be safe than sorry.
I brought the Upspring Milkflow supplement with me.
On day 5, I found my milk supply dropping slightly. I took the recommended dosage of these for one day, and my supply bounced back beautifully.
I only had to take the supplement twice throughout my trip, but I was so glad that I had thought to bring them.
This is one of the things that you could possibly have trouble finding while traveling- especially if you’re traveling internationally.
⭐ Headed to Europe or another country? Along with all of your pumping items, make sure you have the top must-have travel items for a trip abroad! It’ll make your life so much easier!
18. Prevent Engorgement and Plugged Ducts While Traveling and Pumping
Sometimes when I am exclusively pumping, I get plugged ducts due to the change in suction.
I always make sure to travel with the Legendairy sunflower lecithin and a Hakaa just in case I need to release a plugged duct on the fly!
Both of these things can help you avoid engorgement and plugged ducts. However, they are also two things you’d be hard-pressed to find in a pinch.
Tips For Pumping Breast Milk On A Plane
19. Notify a Flight Attendant That You’ll Be Pumping on the Plane
This sounds so awkward…
And, to be honest, it can be, depending on who overhears the conversation.
However, the payoff is worth it.
As soon as you board and have a moment that is appropriate, let a flight attendant know that you will be pumping during the flight.
Each time that I have done this, the flight attendants have moved me to an empty row or a seat with an empty spot next to it.
Obviously, this won’t always be possible, but it is worth a try!
20. Fully Charge Your Breast Pump Before Your Flight
Some airplanes have full power plugs built into each seat.
However, recently I’ve flown some airlines where there was only a USB port at my seat.
Therefore, I wouldn’t count on being able to plug in your breast pump on the plane. Board your flight with your breast pump fully charged.
It’s just a risk you don’t need to take.
How to Travel With Breast Milk On a Plane
Can I Travel With Pumped Breast Milk on a Plane?
Depending on where you are flying from, this answer can vary! See below for specifics;
Can I Fly With Breast Milk in the United States?
TSA allows you to fly with expressed breast milk and does not subject it to the normal liquid allowance (3.4 oz) for other travelers.
Thankfully, in the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) makes laws that govern all of our airports here.
You are free to carry on breast milk in whatever quantity necessary whether you are traveling with or without your baby.
You can read more about TSA policies on breast milk and screenings on their website.
Can I Fly Internationally With Pumped Breast Milk?
The frustrating thing about flying internationally is that other countries do not have a TSA.
This means that every airport can technically have its own rules and regulations.
And what is incredibly unhelpful, at least when I was recently traveling, is that the airports did not have clear regulations about breast milk published on their websites-awesome.
Do your research as best you can.
Many international airports require you to have the baby with you if you are flying with expressed breastmilk (Why you would need expressed breastmilk if you had the baby is beyond me…but okay).
This means that if you travel without the baby and are pumping while traveling, you will need to find another solution.
21. Be Prepared to Check Your Breast Milk if Traveling With Breastmilk Internationally
The best way I could figure out to get around these international flight regulations was to check my milk in a suitcase.
All I did was pack my collapsible cooler as outlined above- ice packs and all.
It was filled to the brim, which actually helped things remain frozen. Then, I stuck the entire thing in a suitcase.
This meant I had to check an additional bag on the way home, but it was entirely worth it.
My milk stayed frozen, did not leak, and made it safely home from Charles de Gaulle in Paris to London Heathrow and, finally, to Philadelphia International Airport.
22. You Can Ship Breast Milk Home
Another option worth noting is that there are companies that will ship breast milk home for you.
The most reputable one I found was MilkStork.
Although pricey, they overnight breast milk home regardless of whether it is frozen or refrigerated. AND, they ship internationally!
Check out their packages and services here.
⭐ Worth Noting: Although most international airports do not allow you to fly with breast milk if you’re traveling without the baby, I did find an exception for flight connections.
For example, we flew from Paris to Philadelphia with a long layover at London Heathrow.
During our layover, we had to go through security a second time. At security, I let them know that I had just pumped a small amount of breast milk during our last leg from Paris to London.
The agent gave me no issues. They took my bottles out, screened them separately, and allowed me to continue on to our next flight!
While this may not always be the case, and you may have to dump the breast milk after all, it is definitely worth a try! You might get lucky as I did!
Flying on an Airplane With a Breast Pump
While all countries (and their respective airports) tend to have different rules regarding what you can and cannot do, almost all airlines allow you to fly with a medical device. This is a standard rule in air travel.
And I don’t mean as your carry-on, either. You are generally entitled to a personal item AND a medical device.
23. Label Your Breast Pump as a Medical Device
While you can carry your breast pump in the backpack I mentioned above, I recommend carrying it on its own. Here’s why:
Carrying your breast pump on its own allows you to BLATANTLY LABEL IT as a medical device.
I found this incredibly durable hard shell case for my Spectra on Amazon. I was able to fit all of my pump parts inside of it, and I attached this medical tag to the outside.
The tag says Medical Device, but it also has the universal symbol for medicine on it. Meaning that, regardless of where I was in the world, I could pretty much count on the fact that whoever was screening me through security would recognize this was a medical device that I needed.
⭐ Tip: Regardless of where and how you’re flying, notify the security screening agent as soon as possible that you’re traveling with a breast pump!
When I stepped up to security, the first thing I did was find a woman and let her know that my case held a breast pump. This made the screenings go so much more smoothly, and I didn’t have to remove my pump from its case even once.
Concluding Thoughts: Pumping While Traveling Internationally
It is still wild to me to think that I successfully managed to pump while traveling for 12 days, but I did!
With the plan above, I was able to pump my way through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. I was able to switch hotels five times, and my frozen milk survived an almost 24-hour travel day (with a layover!) flying home from Paris.
In the end, I made it home with 47 bags of breastmilk.
They were all filled to capacity, meaning that I pumped 282 ounces while traveling and brought ALL of it home!
While it definitely took some dedication and time, you can totally do it too! Get that warm weather vacation in, girl! You deserve it!
