Breastfeeding While Travelling

Another dilemma for the working-pumping mom is when you have to leave your baby for a business trip. And I am unlucky to be in such a dilemma now. *sigh*

I work as marketing and sales for this aviation company so it is expected that there would be some business meetings here and there. When I came back from my maternity leave, I tried my best to defer some long travels. Back then, my mindset was only to breastfeed my baby for the first 6 months. And I was quite successful in my delaying tactics. In the past 4 months, I just had several client meetings in Clark and within Manila which is bearable for me in terms of distance. On these times, the harder part was how to excuse myself from my (foreigner) boss when I needed to pump.

But now, my mindset was changed and I have decided to extend this breastfeeding routine up to a year or more. And today is that dreaded day when I confirmed that we will have the sales meeting in Davao. It is two-days from today and I am not prepared for it on so many ways – I need to finalize my presentation, need to arrange all errands at home and for my little AJ and need to condition my clingy little Ichi. And most importantly, how about my pumping? How do I transport my expressed BM when there is a 100ml liquid restriction when going onboard? I think it would be better if it would only me who will be traveling. But I am with my boss. And the idea that the check-in/check-out will be somehow delayed (explaining about my breastmilk to the airline officers etc.) is kind of awkward for me. I think I will have to just pump and dump whatever I express. But then on the second thought, why should I waste my precious liquid gold?

Oh well this is another challenge for the working and pumping mom. Let us see how we can deal with it.

My Pumping Gears in Action

As requested, here are some pictures to best describe my pumping gears at work.

This is my 11oz. storage bottle. I use the breastflow bottles for my little AJ and it is a nice storage bottle as well. Once the bottle is full, I then use the lansinoh bottles that comes with pump as additional storage bottle.

It may not be very visible on this picture but this is the flange assembly. This is one good thing about Lansinoh - lesser part for easy set-up. I put the flange assembly inside a gallon-sized zipper bag.

These are the ice pack that I am using. They are called hot or cold pack and available at Mercury Drug. Since my travel time is usually less than an hour, this works for me. The blue ice can also be used but they are too heavy for me.

This is my Lock & Lock Cooler bag. I bought it at SM at around Php 500. It has two compartments which is the main reason why I bought it. It also has a mesh pocket in front. It is where I put my business card for identification purposes. One side story: A male officemate also owns the same cooler bag so I really had to put identification on mine. My colleagues were asking me, what if I went home and just found out that we have mistakenly switched our bags? OH mY!!!!! I do not want that to happen. So that is the purpose of my business card there.

On the bottom part of the cooler bag is where I put the folded ref tote, paper towel and then the ice pack. Next would be the flange assembly and then the storage bottle. The arrangement would be different when i am going home since I have the pumped milk already. My travel is only for 40 minutes but I see to it that one ice pack will be wrapped around or put beside the storage bottle for more effective cooling.


On the top compartment of the cooler bag is where I put the pump motor and the tubing. I also keep the nursing cover, and extras (breastmilk bag and spare batteries) underneath.

This is my pumping set-up while I am at the office. On the upper left is my Lock & Lock Cooler Bag from SM. On the Upper Right is my "ref tote." This is where I put my flange assembly (in ziplock) and my pumped milk and then I put it inside our office refrigerator. This picture was taken inside one of our classrooms. I was lucky to be employed in a training company so we have classrooms available where I can do my pumping session.

I am most happy when we do not have lots of classes which means I can reserve one classroom as my "pumping room." This also means that I can keep the classroom key and I can just leave my pump set-up inside the classroom for the whole day. I just cover my pump set-up with my nursing cover.

These are my bags when I am going for work. There are days that i am commuting to and from my workplace so I always see to it that i bring only the essentials to lessen my hand baggage. I hate it most when it's raining so hard - I have to carry my 2 bags plus an umbrella. It is really a lot of sacrifice for the working mom, but all for the sake of our little ones.

The pumped milk that I got for the whole day will be for the next day's feeding. If I am staying at home for the whole weekend, the pumped milk on Friday, will be for the next Monday's consumption. I put my pumped milk inside the feeding bottles (I use Breastflow bottles) then I put it inside a quart sized zipper bag so that it will not get the smell of other items inside the fridge.

This is my freezer stash. I dedicated one compartment for my breastmilk alone. The breastmilk bags are inside a bigger ziplock again to be sure that it will not get the smell of chicken or pork or whatever is stored in the freezer.

Hope this helps you!

Why I Love My Lansinoh

Some have been requesting for this. So here are several reasons why I love my Lansinoh Double Electric Pump:

CHEAP DOUBLE ELECTRIC PUMP
Price is number one on my list when I scouted for a breast pump. Good thing Lansinoh is there. For around 8,000php, you will have the value of a double electric pump, which is recommended if you are working. Other pumps are too costly that some working moms just settle either for a cheaper manual pump or a single electric pump which will take you almost half of your working day to collect your milk.

Lansinoh is not readily available in malls here in Manila. This is why it is not that popular here. You can ask your relatives in the US to buy one for you, or you can have it ordered online via Multiply.

EASY TO SET UP
For a working mom, this is one factor that you should consider – the time required to set up the pump. Since you will squeeze your pumping session on your working hour, then the goal should be less time for set-up and more time for actual milk pumping.

Yes, it only takes me 30 seconds or even less to set-up. Other pumps have lots of connectors and accessories that you need to arrange prior to pumping. With my Lansinoh, you just need to connect the power supply or put your batteries, and attach the tubing to the flange assembly then to the pump itself. Then you’re all set.

Oh, and if I am lucky and I have a room reserved for me the whole day, then I will just leave my pump set up and just put my nursing cover over it. Then on my next pumping session, I just have to bring my “ref tote” again, connect the flange to the tubing and continue pumping.

EASY TO CLEAN UP
Since it has fewer parts, it is very easy to clean too! Perfect for lazy moms and/or lazy yayas! LOL

PORTABLE
Again, since it has fewer parts, it is portable as well. *wink!*

WORKS WITH AA BATTERIES
This is a great plus for me since you have option to pump even if you do not have access to an electrical socket. You just need 6x AA batteries to run it. I suggest you buy those rechargeable batteries which is more practical than buying the disposable ones.

Although I would recommend using electrical power whenever possible as the suction is better compared when you’re running on batteries. Tip: Always bring spare batteries on your pump bag so you'll have a back-up when your power cord just didn't work or when there is a power interruption aka "brown-out."

NO MILK BACK-UP
It has patented design that prevents milk from going to the tubing or to the motor which means that your breastmilk will have less risk of contamination.

SPEED AND SUCTION CONTROL
It has two dials, one for suction and another one for speed. With this, you can set the level of speed and suction depending on your preference. I found the suction of this pump a bit powerful so I just put it on mid vacuum setting with full speed and then I’m okay.

VERY QUIET PUMP
A friend of mine has the Pigeon single electric pump and I told her that her pump was too noisy! I told her it might disturb her newborn who was then sleeping. My friend said for her it was perfectly okay. But not until I showed her how quiet my Lansinoh was. Imagine her regret in buying the pigeon pump. ;-)

ALL PRAISES AND NO NEGATIVE FEEDBACK? You might think I have all praises with Lansinoh. No. I have a few drawbacks too but they are manageable.

So here are some tips:

1. Take care not to over-use the speed and suction control as it has the tendency to loosen up. In my case, on my first weeks I was just so careless with the speed and suction dials that I switch them to different levels during one pumping session. Yeah, I was like a kid playing around then and now, I regret it. But my Lansinoh still works perfectly fine and I love it.

2. After some months, if you find that the suction is not that good anymore compared to when it was new, just replace the small white valve with a new one and you're back again. The Lansinoh comes with three spare sets of white valve. Isn't it great?

3. If you are one blessed cow and you pump more than 4 oz per breast in one sitting (holy cow!) then I suggest you buy a 9oz standard neck bottle to use as collection bottles. Recommended is the Evenflo brand - around Php400 for 3 bottles already. The flanges have universal thread so it fits almost any standard neck bottle.

4. If you are using Avent bottles, get an Avent breast pump converter kit and Lo! you can pump directly into your avent bottle!

Over-all, I find my Lansinoh a great buy! I treat my Lansinoh with utmost care. It's my "life-line" already. I use it 3 to 4 times daily and I can collect 4 to 8 ounces per session depending on the time of the day. Because of this, I will continue to recommend it to working moms who wants to have value for their money. And if you handle your pump with very special care then you’re off with Lansinoh for good.

So if you are working mom or if you have the money to spend, I tell you, SKIP THE MANUAL PUMP AND SKIP THE SINGLE ELCTRIC PUMP! GO GET A LANSINOH! It is the cheapest and most SULIT pump available in the market.

*As of this writing, I am buying myself a Medela Freestyle but this is not because I don’t like my Lansinoh now. You see, Medela Freestyle is more than double the price of Lansinoh so it is not really that practical. It is just that I love that Freestyle is rechargeable and it’s handsfree. It will definitely suit my busy working life. And not to forget about my primary goal- that I actually want to tie myself into breastfeeding for at least for one whole year more so that I can get the value of my money. *wink* wink*

A Nice Article About Breastfeeding in Public

From the Manila Bulletin

Double Exposure
Breastfeeding is the greatest gift you can give your baby. So why be embarrassed?

By RUTH MANIMTIM-FLORESCA
August 28, 2009, 1:57pm


It has been more than a decade since I last breastfed a baby. My youngest child is turning 11 in a couple of months but I can still remember how difficult it was to try and breastfeed a child when we were out in public places.

These days, I’m glad to see a lot of doctors and moms, who strongly advocate breastfeeding. Some have even come up with breastfeeding-friendly clothes and accessories that help moms breastfeed unobtrusively despite being surrounded by a lot of people.

Still, there are mothers who would rather “starve” their babies until they find a “good” feeding spot than be caught exposing their breasts in public.

Mary Allyn B. Tan of Davao City, a LATCH (Lactation, Attachment, Training, Counseling, Help) breastfeeding counselor, acknowledges that Filipino women are largely brought up to be modest. “There is considerable unease at the thought of possibly exposing ourselves in the presence of other people in the course of breastfeeding our baby,” she explains. “We also care a lot about how others might perceive us and worry about possibly embarrassing not just ourselves, but also our husbands and families. Added to this, I think, is that Filipinos have this innate desire not to bring discomfort to [other] people.”

Overcoming concerns

Lyn says one of the best ways a mother can address her fears and misgivings about breastfeeding in public is to analyze them and to try to separate the facts from the perceived reactions of other

people. “In my experience as a nursing mom, I’ve never received so much as an outright frown, much less a verbal admonition,” she shares. “Although most people still seem surprised and curious, they nevertheless comment on how ‘ideal’ it is that I’m nursing my child.”

When people try to continue the conversation, Lyn happily reports that she gets to answer questions about breastfeeding and address common myths and misconceptions. “So I also get to be a ‘model mom’ for breastfeeding at the same time!”

She further advises that moms should ease their apprehensions by simply adjusting their perception about breastfeeding. “Breastfeeding is one of the unique and special gifts we have as mothers. It’s wholly ours to own and, really, we should feel proud about giving our babies the perfect food,” she points out.

Finding the right accessories

One of the most exciting developments for pregnant and nursing moms in the past six to 10 years is the growing number of establishments that have become more sensitive to the special needs of mommies and their children. “Gone are the days when being pregnant meant having to go around in a tent for a certain period of your life,” describes Lyn. “These days, pregnant mommies can be as fashionable as they want to be!” One example of a store is Havin' a Baby and the brand Mommy Matters, which you can find on the Internet. There are also a lot items in Multiply.

However, she concedes that less well known is the fact that there are now accessories too for breastfeeding moms. “There’s the nursing bib, which covers the chest area and the nursing baby while breastfeeding and nursing blouses and dresses with special panels and cut-outs that allow access to the breast without mom having to expose more than she has to,” illustrates Lyn. “These allow for more discreet nursing.”

One of her favorite accessories is the nursing belly band. “It turns any regular shirt or blouse into nursing wear!” she exclaims. “It addresses one of the biggest concerns of mommies when breastfeeding; that of leaving your belly, sides, and sometimes part of your back, exposed.”

According to Lyn, most of the nursing wear being sold today are designed and produced by real moms.

“And it feels good to know you’re helping their business when you buy them,” she expresses. “Although a creative mom can also use existing items in her closet to create solutions like converting a tube top into a nursing belly band.”

“I know how daunting it can be to imagine breastfeeding in public. I’ve been there,” admits Lyn. “The anxiety I felt in doing it for the first time resembled the one I always felt when going to the dentist as a child.”

She encourages moms that the first time is always the biggest hurdle. “With the proper attitude and the right kinds of nursing mom aids, you can start to enjoy the benefits of a breastfeeding lifestyle and be rewarded with a healthy, glowing and highly portable child!”

Inspiring others

These days, with the law providing for the needs of nursing mothers, there are already malls and other big buildings that have established nursing stations. “One way we can be more proactive and encourage others to follow their lead is to patronize and support these establishments,” urges Lyn.

She adds that sometimes, all it takes to truly appreciate something is allowing a shift in our perspective. “A little change in direction and, suddenly, we see … not the discomfort and embarrassment of possible exposure, but the comfort and security felt by a nourished and beloved baby, the tenderness and sacrifice of a doting mother … the beauty and miracle of life.”