10 Tips: Travel and Breast-Feeding Are Intimately Compatible

November 5, 2008

Posted in Travel
Tags: Breast-feeding, Health, insect repellent, Sunscreen, Travel

A web site on breast-feeding says, “I carry a light-weight blanket when I travel with my breast-fed infant. If someone seems to be bothered by my nursing – even though I do it discreetly – I offer them the blanket so that they can cover their eyes.”

No reason to stay home because you’re breast-feeding. In fact, when traveling, the alternative, bottle-feeding, tends to be more of a hassle because you have to carry bulky supplies and worry about sterilization, for example.

Here are TenTips to help you:

1. Travel-related stresses and altered sleeping and eating patterns do not significantly – if at all – interfere with the flow of breast milk.

Try to stay relaxed, rested, and follow your home routine as closely as possible.

2. Forty U.S. states have laws allowing women to breast-feed in any public or private location.

Twenty-five states exempt breast-feeding from public indecency laws.  Virginia allows women to breast-feed on any land or property owned by the state. Puerto Rico requires airports, shopping malls, and specific other locations to have areas that are not bathrooms designated for breast-feeding and diaper changing. For laws of each state, see: www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm. Outside the U.S., attitudes for breast-feeding in public tend to be more relaxed with few, if any, restrictions.   Massachusetts still does not have a law in place allowing women to breast feed in public.

3. You may carry bottled breast milk through airport security.

Such milk is exempt from rules that limit carry-on liquids to three ounces or less. Breast milk is also exempt from the rule that liquids (and baby food) must be carried in zip-lock plastic bags. However, the milk must be screened by the X-ray machines, a procedure that has no known adverse effect on the milk.

4. Travel-related (and other vaccines) are safe for you and your infant.

The only possible exception is yellow fever vaccine, a vaccine necessary only for travel to well-defined areas in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical rain forests of South America. There is a theoretical risk of transmitting the vaccine virus via breast milk to the infant and harming the infant. But, as far as is known, this has never occurred.

5. Vaccines and medications you receive for travel do not protect your infant.

Infants need to be protected with their own age-specific vaccines and medications. This is especially important where malaria exists.

6. Routine illnesses – including most travel-related ones – are NOT transmitted through breast milk.

Illness is rarely reason to stop nursing. But do consult your health care providers when you are ill. Frequent and thorough hand washing reduces the risk of transmitting respiratory or intestinal illnesses, the leading disease categories associated with travel. If you have diarrhea, increase your own fluid intake and nurse more frequently. If you have nausea or are vomiting also increase your fluid intake but drink only an ounce or two at a time. Wait 20 to 30 minutes between drinks. Consult your health care providers back home when in doubt. Carry their telephone numbers.

7. Using sunscreens and insect repellents on yourself has no effect on your infant.

Follow the same precautions as if you were not nursing. To learn more about protecting your infant from insects and sun, see TenTips: Sun protection and TenTips: Insect protection.

8. Consider a sling infant carrier when traveling.

This helps maintain breastfeeding by allowing opportunities for unrestricted nursing, helps protect the infant from surrounding hazards. And eases the burden of carrying the infant, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

9. Never breast-feed unrestrained infants in moving cars.

Such infants have been propelled into front seats in sudden stops and accidents. Pull over at a safe place to nurse.

10. Consider traveling with a breast pump.

Even if you do not routinely pump milk, you may find that a breast pump comes in handy. Travel may disrupt feeding and sleeping schedules – yours and the baby’s. Hotels and airplanes will generally refrigerate the milk for you. A large variety of breast pumps are available for travel, ranging from inexpensive, small, manual hand pumps to elaborate, portable, electric ones. Check the web for “breast-feeding, travel” for excellent information. Many of these sites have informative blogs from mothers who have breast-fed on the go.

Posted in Travel
Tags: Breast-feeding, Health, insect repellent, Sunscreen, Travel