Pump & Dump or Pump & Fly??

[DizneyLizzy]

My husband and I are taking our 3 1/2 year old son to Disney by himself and leaving our baby daughter at home with the grandparents for 4 nights at the end of summer. She'll be 8 1/2 months old at the time. I don't plan on weaning her beforehand, and I'll have plenty of frozen breast milk for her at home to make it through the 4 nights I'm away, but I'm trying to figure out if I can bring my pump and keep my supply up enough to still be able to nurse her once we get home. Anyone have any experience or tips for this? We'll arrive on a Thursday and leave on a Monday, so obviously anything I pump early on in the trip I'll have to dump, but how much do you think I can bring on the plane? We are staying in a DVC studio, so we'll have a small fridge in the room.

Any thoughts?? I figured I'd just wean her before the trip, but I'd love to have a pumping plan just in case we're not ready to wean. I nursed my son until he was 13 months and it worked out great for the budget never having to buy formula!

I figure someone on here has done something like this before

 

[Dismama2boys]

I wouldn't wean if you're not ready. I don't have advice about flying with milk if the baby isn't present - that's not something I ever had to do. But personally I'd much rather pump and dump than wean at that age. Good luck!

 

[Thing 1]

I'd pump and dump.... much easier and you can go right back to nursing her when you get home.

 

[kboo]

You can bring as much as you can carry on the plane. I've not had to bring too much home from Disney because the baby was with me, but for a work trip I have brought back about a half gallon (60+ oz) in insulated bags in my carry on. you will have to have extra screening but it is totally doable.

That said - I almost got mastitis on that trip because I had to go more hours than usual between pump sessions, but more importantly, the pump didn't clear all the milk and I Was in SO much pain. I was already trying to wean off the pump and nursing - my baby was around 9 months then, and it was incredibly painful. I would try to get your body used to going longer and longer between nursing and pumping before you leave. I thought I would be ok on that work trip but somehow my body went into overdrive, and pumping was'bnt clearing the milk and I was getting more and more engorged. it was AWFUL.

Short answer - semi wean. I know I'm in the minority here but I had been traveling for work once a month 3x prior, but was never for more than 24-30 hours. That one with a pumped 60 oz and near mastitis was about 48 hours. It was insanely painful. I was flying home with a bag of ice tucked under my shirt. You don't have to wean completely but if you aren't having any supply issues now, trust me that it's a lot easier to get your supply back up through nursing and pumping when you get back than to try to use a pump to clear all your milk while you are away.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Thanks for all the support! It makes me feel less anxious about leaving her for the trip knowing I won't have to wean. Before she was born I figured I'd have to wean sooner than 8 1/2 months bc I didn't know how much I'd be able to pump at work (I'm a teacher, and it's a great career for being a mom in general, but a tough schedule for pumping). As it turns out, it's been going fine, and I got my schedule for next year, and it looks like I'll be able to keep pumping in the fall, so I'm in no rush to wean. I'd love to be able to nurse her the full year. It's nice to have the support of other moms who understand and don't think I'm nuts for bringing my pump to Disney!

I'm thinking I'll get up early and pump before everyone wakes up (what I do now anyway), pump again during our afternoon break, and once more at bedtime.

 

[kboo]

Thanks for all the support! It makes me feel less anxious about leaving her for the trip knowing I won't have to wean. Before she was born I figured I'd have to wean sooner than 8 1/2 months bc I didn't know how much I'd be able to pump at work (I'm a teacher, and it's a great career for being a mom in general, but a tough schedule for pumping). As it turns out, it's been going fine, and I got my schedule for next year, and it looks like I'll be able to keep pumping in the fall, so I'm in no rush to wean. I'd love to be able to nurse her the full year. It's nice to have the support of other moms who understand and don't think I'm nuts for bringing my pump to Disney!

I'm thinking I'll get up early and pump before everyone wakes up (what I do now anyway), pump again during our afternoon break, and once more at bedtime.

FYI, my baby is now almost 18 months and I am trying to wean her and ... she doesn't wanna. This is the baby that almost gave me mastitis in my comment above. definitely see how you do just pumping (and not nursing) before you leave for 4 days because it is very different if your baby isn't there to nurse at least in the morning and night. It hurt SO bad and my supply was not affected. I took another trip a couple of months later and I had to wean myself off the pump - meaning - pump less and less each day and for shorter amounts of time.

Just last month I took another work trip, just 2 nights away but I had gone from nursing Thursday night to to nursing Sunday night, and I could feel it, still. Even though I haven't pumped in 8+ months and we nurse 0-1x every 24 hours, I was actually slightly uncomfortable after no nursing or pumping for 72 hours.

 

[Sundowner2]

One thing I will suggest, is keep pumping, and freezing your fresh, I don't know if your baby is used to drinking your thawed milk, but if not, start getting her used to it, and that will make it easier for Grandma. I got REALLY sick and was in the hospital for a few days, and my little man wasn't used to the frozen and wouldn't drink it, and it was a nightmare trying to get him hydrated, and so scary.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

One thing I will suggest, is keep pumping, and freezing your fresh, I don't know if your baby is used to drinking your thawed milk, but if not, start getting her used to it, and that will make it easier for Grandma. I got REALLY sick and was in the hospital for a few days, and my little man wasn't used to the frozen and wouldn't drink it, and it was a nightmare trying to get him hydrated, and so scary.

Yikes! That is so scary! I've been back to work for about a month and a half now, and my daughter has been drinking frozen milk ever since. I feel so fortunate that it was an easy transition to frozen milk and the bottle for her.

 

[Lmans77]

Personally I would pump and dump. I worked full time and pumped, and went on a long weekend without the baby and pumped and dumped. I would just keep trying to pump to your normal pump schedule (i.e. what you do when you work). The confusion with your body will be what happens when you are baby are together like overnights, especially if baby is still night nursing or cluster feeding in the evening. Make sure you pump enough to drain and stimulate the breast so your supply doesn't tank too much. I weaned my 2nd at 1 year due to mastitis and I regretted it. My mastitis was not due to pumping though so don't get nervous about that.

 

[jvz82]

You should have no trouble keeping up your supply for those few days and jumping back into nursing when you get home. I've nursed 4 babies until age 2 so I've had lots of experience with this. It's only 4 nights, that shouldn't be a big deal at all. Pumping and dumping will probably be the easiest option. I personally wouldn't want to wean at that age. Maybe if you were gone for 2 weeks or something that'd be different.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

You should have no trouble keeping up your supply for those few days and jumping back into nursing when you get home. I've nursed 4 babies until age 2 so I've had lots of experience with this. It's only 4 nights, that shouldn't be a big deal at all. Pumping and dumping will probably be the easiest option. I personally wouldn't want to wean at that age. Maybe if you were gone for 2 weeks or something that'd be different.

Thanks! I was never away from my son for more than a work day when I was nursing him...so I haven't had any experience being away and pumping. I don't think I'll be ready to wean my daughter at 8 months, so I'm thinking this is the best option. I hate to waste milk, so maybe I'll at least bring home the milk that I pump on our last day.

 

[ElenaRN]

I don't think there is a restriction on how much breast milk you can bring on a flight. You will have to claim it at security and they will examine it thoroughly.

I wouldn't dump that liquid gold if you didn't have to. How long is your flight? I think a DVC studio fridge still has a freezer. So freeze your milk and get a cooler and freezer packs for the flight home.

I also suggest getting a hand pump that you can throw in your bag. If you start feeling uncomfortable at the parks you can pump. That will help keep up your supply also. This you might have to dump if you can't get to a fridge soon enough.

 

[kboo]

I have taken numerous work trips with both of my kids (unfortunately). THERE IS NO RESTRICTION ON HOW MUCH MILK YOU CAN BRING HOME. If you have a fridge, you can bring home all the milk if you want. I'm more concerned about how your body will react with pumping alone, and not worried about your supply. The pump is not nearly as effective as the baby at draining the breast, so if you're only pumping and not nursing for four days, and you haven't seen before then how your body will react to having a pump session when you'd normally nurse, it could be really, really painful. All I am suggesting is that in the month or 2 before you go, occasionally try substituting a pump session instead of nursing (have DH or someone give her a bottle at bedtime, for example) and see how your body responds for missing a nursing session. The problem is the pump will stimulate milk supply but not drain as much as baby, and that can lead to really painful engorgement. Trust me, you do not want to be at WDW experiencing this for the first time - it is excruciating.

As for bringing milk home, if you have checked bags, you can get one of those insulated picnic freezer bags with an ice pack, and store your milk in the lansinoh bags. Freeze them as flat as possible. Those pack really well together with little wasted space. I have carried home about 60 oz on that almost-mastitis work trip, but have also put that whole frozen pack in a checked bag and checked it home. After about 6 hours it had started to thaw around the edges but was fine, especially for a baby that age.

 

[Belle83]

I flew with breastmilk and it was a lot easier than I was expecting. I just used a soft-side cooler filled with ice (in ziplock bags). I would not wean just because of the trip (unless you really want to). I would try to bring everything pumped from Friday-forward home and just freeze it once you get home.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

All I am suggesting is that in the month or 2 before you go, occasionally try substituting a pump session instead of nursing (have DH or someone give her a bottle at bedtime, for example) and see how your body responds for missing a nursing session. The problem is the pump will stimulate milk supply but not drain as much as baby, and that can lead to really painful engorgement. Trust me, you do not want to be at WDW experiencing this for the first time - it is excruciating.

As for bringing milk home, if you have checked bags, you can get one of those insulated picnic freezer bags with an ice pack, and store your milk in the lansinoh bags. Freeze them as flat as possible. Those pack really well together with little wasted space. I have carried home about 60 oz on that almost-mastitis work trip, but have also put that whole frozen pack in a checked bag and checked it home. After about 6 hours it had started to thaw around the edges but was fine, especially for a baby that age.

Thanks again for this. My husband, son, and I are going on a quick overnight trip without the baby in August, so that'll be my first try being away from her with just the pump. We'll only be gone 2 nights, so it'll be a good test. Honestly, she isn't as efficient a nurser as my son was, and sometimes I think the pump drains me more than she does. I have to pump before work in the morning bc she doesn't wake up early enough for me to nurse before I leave, and I can usually get about 3-4 ounces more than she typically takes in a bottle feeding. But I do nurse her when I get home from school every day around 4, and then again before bed at 7, so I will have to be cautious about missing those two feedings. Thanks again for the support and advice - this has been very helpful and has been making me feel much more at ease about traveling without her.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I don't think there is a restriction on how much breast milk you can bring on a flight. You will have to claim it at security and they will examine it thoroughly.

I wouldn't dump that liquid gold if you didn't have to. How long is your flight? I think a DVC studio fridge still has a freezer. So freeze your milk and get a cooler and freezer packs for the flight home.

I also suggest getting a hand pump that you can throw in your bag. If you start feeling uncomfortable at the parks you can pump. That will help keep up your supply also. This you might have to dump if you can't get to a fridge soon enough.

Thanks! I didn't know if the DVC studios have a real freezer or not. Either way, I think refrigerated milk is good for a week, so I should be okay with ice packs and a soft sided cooler that will fit in my luggage. Can I put that in my checked luggage?

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Does anyone have any recommendations of a soft sided cooler that will fit in my checked luggage? Do you think checking the milk is better than carrying it on in terms of security, time, etc? We are flying Southwest, so checked bags don't cost extra, and the flight is a little under 2 hours. The only cooler I currently have is the little Medela one that came with my pump and stores the 4 little bottles. Obviously that's not gonna do it! Ha.

 

[kboo]

I'm pretty sure the studios have a freezer. I pulled these links quickly off of amazon, so I didn't really look at the prices, but this is to give you a visual of what I did:

For checked luggage, I used a carrier bag like this:
https://www.amazon.com/X-Large-Hot-..._9uvnos9w9bvh82n_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=kitchen

Then add flat ice packs like this (you may not need to, because your flight is so short):
https://www.amazon.com/ThermaFreeze...496245488&sr=1-4&keywords=large+flat+ice+pack

And use lansinoh bags - put about 3-5 oz in each, squeeze out the excess air and freeze flat in the freezer:
http://shop.lansinoh.com/product/lansinohr-breastmilk-storage-bags-50-ct

Once frozen, each bag of milk acts like its own little ice pack too, and pack all that in the carrier bag as flat as possible, and then pack that in the middle of all your clothes in the suitcase.

For milk in my carry on, I used an insulated bottle bag like this. (I also had the medela cooler bag but that was just not enough and the lansinoh bags are a little too long):
https://www.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Insulated-Double-Chevron/dp/B00FZGLJ4K
This one came with its own ice pack and again, I froze the lansinoh bags as flat as possible and then put them upright in the bag and packed as tightly as possible - actually fit a LOT of milk in there.

@DizneyLizzy, I'm relieved you'll be going on a shorter trip first - sorry to keep posting, but I would not want anyone to go through what I went through last August. As you can tell, I'm less worried about bringing the milk home (that's the easy part, and for as much milk as you'll have, you may have to do a combination of both checked and carry on). Also happy to answer any questions you may have as your trips get closer - either here or on PM. I've pumped and brought milk home with both kids, on numerous trips all for work, and done it internationally. I wouldn't worry about your supply, a few days of real nursing when you get back should fix any of that.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I'm pretty sure the studios have a freezer. I pulled these links quickly off of amazon, so I didn't really look at the prices, but this is to give you a visual of what I did:

For checked luggage, I used a carrier bag like this:
https://www.amazon.com/X-Large-Hot-..._9uvnos9w9bvh82n_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=kitchen

Then add flat ice packs like this (you may not need to, because your flight is so short):
https://www.amazon.com/ThermaFreeze...496245488&sr=1-4&keywords=large+flat+ice+pack

And use lansinoh bags - put about 3-5 oz in each, squeeze out the excess air and freeze flat in the freezer:
http://shop.lansinoh.com/product/lansinohr-breastmilk-storage-bags-50-ct

Once frozen, each bag of milk acts like its own little ice pack too, and pack all that in the carrier bag as flat as possible, and then pack that in the middle of all your clothes in the suitcase.

For milk in my carry on, I used an insulated bottle bag like this. (I also had the medela cooler bag but that was just not enough and the lansinoh bags are a little too long):
https://www.amazon.com/Skip-Hop-Insulated-Double-Chevron/dp/B00FZGLJ4K
This one came with its own ice pack and again, I froze the lansinoh bags as flat as possible and then put them upright in the bag and packed as tightly as possible - actually fit a LOT of milk in there.

@DizneyLizzy, I'm relieved you'll be going on a shorter trip first - sorry to keep posting, but I would not want anyone to go through what I went through last August. As you can tell, I'm less worried about bringing the milk home (that's the easy part, and for as much milk as you'll have, you may have to do a combination of both checked and carry on). Also happy to answer any questions you may have as your trips get closer - either here or on PM. I've pumped and brought milk home with both kids, on numerous trips all for work, and done it internationally. I wouldn't worry about your supply, a few days of real nursing when you get back should fix any of that.

Thank you so much!! I will keep you posted on how everything goes

 

[allegoricduck]

Instead of dumping, if you can I'd suggest looking at Eats on Feet or Human Milk for Human Babies on Facebook and donating. I've donated extra milk I pumped on vacation and it was easy.