Take off and Let Downs–Pumping and Air Travel

Breastfeeding: Sweet. Intimate. Close connection between mother and baby. It’s a lovely soft-focused kind of image, right?

DSCN1910Unless you have to be separated from your baby for work or school. Then it’s all business. Maintaining milk production. Tallying the ounces in the freezer. Strategizing about how to get one more pumping session in every day. Stressing if you have low output at lunch or if someone schedules a meeting during the time you’re supposed to be pumping.

And what if you need to be away from your baby for more than one day? What if you need to travel for your job sans baby? What if you need to be on an airplane for more than a few hours? Is it possible to pump on a plane, maintain your milk production, save your milk AND bring it home for your baby? Continue reading