Keeping Your Milk Supply Up While Travelling for Work or Vacation

Planning a work trip or a much-needed vacation? Sounds great unless you’re breastfeeding. Then it’s not just packing your suitcase; it’s packing your breast pump, cooler, storage bags, and a whole lot of planning around your pumping schedule. Between packing bags, catching flights, and having your baby adjust to new routines, pumping and storing milk can feel like a full-time job.

If you’re worried you milk supply will take a hit with an erratic travel schedule, we’ve got you.

How Do You Keep Your Milk Supply Up While Travelling?

Travelling and pumping is not always glamorous, but it is 100% possible. Here’s how to keep your milk supply steady while you’re away.

1. Stick to Your Pumping or Breastfeeding Schedule

Breast milk is produced based on supply and demand. The more often you pump or nurse, the more milk your body will make (1).

Try to pump around the same times your baby would normally feed, usually every 2 to 4 hours. Yes, that might mean pumping during airport layovers or between meetings. Is it fun? Not really. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

If you’re travelling across time zones or have a busy schedule, set reminders on your phone so you don’t forget a session.

2. Pack the Right Equipment

Having the right gear with you can make travelling and pumping a lot easier. Here’s your quick must-have list (2):

• A portable, lightweight breast pump
• Extra pump parts, flanges, and tubing
• Milk storage bags or bottles
• A cooler bag with ice packs to keep milk cold
• Breast pads for leakage
• Microwave sterilising bags
• Cleaning wipes or a small bottle brush and dishwashing soap
• A battery pack or car adapter, especially for long days or outdoor trips

Pro Tip: Consider the Medela Freestyle Hands-Free Breast Pump. It’s small, lightweight, and has a built-in rechargeable battery, which makes it ideal for moms on the go. The hands-free collection cups fit inside your bra, very discreetly, so you can pump even during meetings or airport layovers with ease.

3. Store Your Milk Safely

Keeping your milk at the right temperature is important, especially when you’re not near a fridge. Here’s a quick guide (3) (4) (5):

• Room temperature: Up to 4 hours
• In a cooler with ice packs: Up to 24 hours
• In a fridge: Up to 4 days
• In a freezer: Up to 6 months

4. Adjust for Time Zone Changes

If you’re changing time zones, try to keep the same number of pumping sessions each day. You don’t need to pump at the exact same hour; just try not to skip sessions. Your body will adjust in a day or two.

5. Stay Hydrated and Eat Well

It’s easy to forget to drink water or eat balanced meals when you’re on the move, but both are important for maintaining milk production.

Keep a refillable water bottle with you and stash healthy snacks like nuts, granola bars, or fruit in your bag to keep your energy up (6).

6. Be Kind to Yourself

Here’s the truth: things might not go perfectly. Maybe you miss a pump session. Maybe you spill some milk. Maybe your supply dips a little.

It’s OK. Take a deep breath.

And remember, even a short break in your usual routine won’t ruin your supply forever. Just get back on track when you can, with best pumping practices like double pumping (7), and don’t forget to take care of you while you’re taking care of the baby.

Travelling while breastfeeding isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but it’s totally doable with the right mindset, a little planning and the right tools.

We know that the sheer thought of all the work that goes into travelling with a baby can sometimes take away the entire purpose of relaxing and making memories with your little one; you’re doing so well!

References/Resources:

1. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing – Principles for Maintaining or Increasing Breast Milk Production

2. Medela – Travel with your breast pump: Expressing on the go

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Breast Milk Storage and Preparation

4. American Academy of Pediatrics – Tips for Freezing & Refrigerating Breast Milk

5. Medela – How to store, freeze and thaw breast milk

6. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – Impact of maternal nutrition on breast-milk composition: a systematic review

7. Breastfeeding Medicine – Simultaneous Breast Expression in Breastfeeding Women Is More Efficacious Than Sequential Breast Expression

Also Read:

How to Breastfeed Your Baby while Travelling
What Do Breastfeeding Moms Really Want?
Healthy Recipes for Breastfeeding Moms to Try