7 TSA Breast Milk Rules You Need to Know When Flying

Air travel can test your patience under the best of circumstances. But having to deal with long security lines, the TSA, delayed flights, or lost baggage is the worst.

Traveling with breastmilk adds even more stress to flying. But don't worry, this guide has everything you need to know about how to travel with breastmilk.

I traveled from coast to coast with my infant when he was just eight weeks old. We have flown together several times a year since then. I've been through the toughest moments of it, and it's not so bad once you know the ropes.

The biggest concern for most mommies when flying with breastmilk is the TSA.

In this article, I will share how to travel with breast milk, my mistakes, and what I have learned. I'll go over the 7 need to know rules when it comes to the TSA and breastmilk.

You do hear the horror stories, though. Some TSA officers or other airport security personnel may be unfamiliar with the TSA’s policies regarding breastmilk. Or, they may not follow them, so you need to know your rights and be prepared to stand up for them.

On December 16, 2016, President Obama signed the Bottles and Breastfee​​ding Equipment Screening Act. This act is also known as the “BABES Act.”

This law gave the TSA ninety days to notify airport screeners of tsa breast milk policy regarding travelers with breastmilk and pumps.

Additionally, now all security screening training programs must provide training on the special screening procedures that can be used with breastmilk. 2017 was the year for all of the kinks to be worked out.  If you're flying in 2018 and beyond, the process is much easier.

Also, the tsa rules on breastmilk are always subject to adjustment and change. I will try my best to keep this article updated with the latest and greatest.

This rule states that all liquids must be less than 3.4 ounces and fit in one 1-quart bag. There is no stated limit to the amount of breastmilk that you can carry on the plane. In addition, it does not need to fit within a quart-sized bag.

However, these liquids should be declared to the TSA officer. Keep this separate from any liquids subject to the liquids policy (shampoo, contact solution, etc.) so there's no confusion for the TSA operators.

You can carry frozen ice packs and coolers onto the plane. However, if the ice pack is partially defrosted or slushy, it may be subject to additional screening.

Additional screening measures may involve testing with strips that detect explosive residue. You may be asked to transfer some milk into a separate container for testing.

You can ask the TSA to not xray breast milk. This seems to be a common area of conflict with TSA. So, see if you can find out how your airport handles requests for screening that does not involve x-raying the b​​reastmilk.

Some airlines have written policies and some do not. If your airline does have a written policy, you should print it out and keep it with you.

You may also want to contact customer service to determine if there is a policy that is not clearly stated on the airline’s website.

For the tsa, breast pumps are not considered medical devices and count toward your “carry-on plus personal item” allowance.

Another time, when I traveled by myself, I still had to pump. I brought my suitcase as a carry-on and packed my pump bag.

Knowing how baggage is sometimes handled, I would do anything I could to avoid getting my pump checked. Make sure you have looked into airline policies and have a back-up plan that will keep the pump in your control.

The rules discussed above apply to the United States only. Carefully check regulations for other countries.

For example, in the UK, you can only travel with larger amounts of breastmilk if you are traveling with your child. Make sure you research this issue thoroughly before flying internationally with breastmilk.

If you'll be travelling and away from your little one for an extended time, it's important to understand what the impact will be on your breastmilk production and whether it will dry up your milk (see our guide here).

There are several ways to pack breastmilk for air travel. You can pack it the same way you would for a long drive to work.

You can also bring the milk in a larger cooler bag or hard cooler separate from the pump. This will likely be counted as a separate carry-on, so plan accordingly.

Your cooler bags can be filled with ice or freezer packs to keep the breastmilk cold. Using a larger cooler will allow you to carry larger quantities of breastmilk for longer trips.

Alternatively, you may be able to check breastmilk in a container packed with dry ice. There are very specific TSA regulations about the weight and packing for containers involving dry ice.

However, longer flights may require much more substantial cooling to keep the milk cold enough.

REMEMBER:

If you are traveling out of country, check with the airline for any regulations in the country you are visiting.

Traveling with frozen breast milk is a great idea! But a lot of mommies wonder how to keep breast milk frozen while traveling. The biggest factor to consider is how long will your flight be and how long will you be away from a real freezer. For normal flights, a freezer bag with ice is enough. For long flights, you'll need to think about other options.

Regardless of the size or type of container, breastmilk will stay colder for longer in the cooler if it is frozen prior to travel. However, on a longer flight breastmilk may begin to defrost.

If it starts to thaw, it should not be refrozen. Keep this in mind as you decide how to transport it.

You may decide to ship the breastmilk instead of traveling with it, however this can be expensive.

Here are some additional useful tips for traveling as a breastfeeding mom. I can think of a few times when I wish I had known some of these in advance.

When you are pumping at home or at work, you are in a routine and have your supplies easily available.

That can get trickier on the road, especially if you're pumping while traveling. Do not forget to pack some of those extra things you use often.

That may affect not only your ability to freeze newly pumped breastmilk, but also to refreeze freezer packs. Trying to scramble for cold freezer packs just before the trip home is stress you do not need.

You can also use a manual pump to avoid this. Similarly, if you have to pump on the plane, think ahead about how you will handle this.

Keep a bottle ready or plan to nurse during those periods. The sucking and swallowing will help the baby’s ears deal with the pressure changes. Planning for that will hopefully save you a lot of screaming from baby and looks from fellow passengers.

It is easy to get dehydrated or not eat enough when traveling, be sure you drink plenty of water and eat snacks to keep yourself well-nourished. When you bring breast milk on planes, don't forget enough water for yourself!

Tsa travel with breastmilk can be stressful; however, once you understand the rules, it's not a big deal. It's a matter of knowing the rules and knowing your rights. Be a proud mother and educate yourself before you start flying with breast milk.

I hope this article helped to get you up to speed on everything you need to know. I wish you and yours the best! If you liked this article, please share!

Happy travels!