[...] excited about attending but also nervous. It will be the first time this breastfeeding momma will be away from her Little Bean. I’m looking forward to a little escape, but I’m hoping being away from baby [...]

First of all, have a blast! I’d try giving him one bottle of pumped milk a day for the next few days (once you have enough supply) so he doesn’t reject it, and pump after you nurse — even if you only get 10-20 ml, it’s better than nada and will eventually add to a full feeding.

I have traveled and just brought my pump. And the only way I’d pump and dump would be if I had drank more than a glass of wine.

Hi Roni,

I just went through this and everything worked out so great, I couldn’t wait to share with another mom who could use the advice.

I had about 2 days’ worth of milk in the fridge/freezer before I left (figure approximately 24 oz/day). I also had a can of formula for emergencies just in case something went wrong! I would pump every night before bed. He usually falls asleep without fully emptying my breasts and I go to sleep an hour or so later, so that worked out.

Before I left home, I went to usps.com and pre-paid and printed overnight shipping labels for as many days as I would be gone. I just estimated a 5 lb box for a full day’s worth of milk. It was $30-something per box. I called the hotel to make sure it was OK with them if I left a box at the front desk for the mail carrier every morning.

I also went to this website http://dryicedirectory.com/usa.htm to find out where to buy dry ice in my vacation spot. Lots of grocery stores have it. I called the grocery store first to make sure.

I took all my pumping equipment in my carry-on. I had a lunch box with freezer packs in it. That is the only thing that they wanted to rescreen because of the lining of the lunch box. It was smooth-sailing. I pumped in the family restroom at the airport right before I boarded the plane and right after I got off the plane. After checking in to the hotel, I went to the store to get a newspaper, softsided lunch boxes and small shipping boxes. Then back to usps.com to tell them there was a pickup at the hotel front desk the next morning.

I continued pumping at regular intervals and setting my alarm to wake up once overnight. After morning pumping, I went to the grocery store for dry ice, packed a lunch box of milk bags and dry ice, put it in the shipping box surrounded by crumbled newspaper, taped the USPS sticker on it, sealed it with a kiss, and left it at the front desk of the hotel.

My baby got the box the next morning and the milk was ice cold.

Repeat daily.

Best of luck, Roni! I’d ask you to keep us posted, but I know you will anyway!

get the avent hand-pump. it’s FABULOUS! and personally, i wouldn’t dump the milk. it’s too upsetting after you work so hard to get it.