Frozen breastmilk and gel freezer packs

[Nennie]

I read the TSA website about flying with breastmilk, but didn't see anything about the gel freezer packs I'll need to bring to keep everything frozen.

Anyone have experience with this? Will I be permitted to have a couple gel freezer packs in my cooler along with the breastmilk? I figure worst case I could just get ice after I go through security, but melting ice will me rather messy, and I'd rather just bring the gel packs if they are allowed.

Thanks so much!!

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm not sure if they would make an exception for breast milk as far as the freezer packs go. I have seen other posters say they freeze packs of vegetables, and use them as the stand in for regular freezer packs. That seems to be ok.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't think the freezer gel packs are allowed for any reason. But, I could be wrong since we're talking about frozen breastmilk. But, you may want to think about packing the milk with frozen peas or corn around it. No mess as it thaws and it should keep the breastmilk fine until you get to your destinatioin. The bags of frozen peas or corn can be mooshed around the containers more easily than the gel packs in any case, so should work just as well, if not better.

 

[Mom2aJessieGirl]

You can also take empty zip top bags to fill with ice after you pass through the security checkpoint. That way, when the ice melts you can just pour out the water and refill the bags with more ice and not have a cooler full of water.

 

[kkandaj]

Are you trying to keep the milk frozen until you get there? I know that I traveled with frozen breast milk on my way home from Boston to KC for business (without a baby with me). I'm pretty sure I packed it in a collapsible cooler, allowing it to thaw throughout the trip home. (Was only about 4-5 hours total), so then put it in the fridge when I got home. Breast milk can stay in the fridge for 5 days after it is thawed, so you could just use that up. The peas/carrots idea is a good one!

I nursed my son for a year (not by choice, because of life threatening food allergies to formula) and think that's my biggest accomplishment of my life. Not kidding....pumping at work, traveling for business, getting milk through security. You are doing a great thing meeting the nutritional needs of your child naturally. Kudos to you!

 

[mrsstats]

I just flew today and used them for our lunch. No problem.

 

[goofy4tink]

I just flew today and used them for our lunch. No problem.

You were able to use the ice packs???

 

[cel_disney]

I have a 14 month old and was a pumping and traveling mom for 8 month!

I have never had any trouble bringing the ice packs through security - frozen or unfrozen. I print out the TSA guidelines that say breastmilk can be taken even if you dont have the baby with you but I have never needed it.

I have flown through BOS, ABQ, ELP, HSV, ATL, JFK, SLC with them.

On my outbound trips, I have often just had the cooler and freeze packs but they werent frozen yet. I always tell the attendant before I put it through the belt so that they know why. A few times I have had questions about why they arent frozen - and I"m sure that having them frozen would have made things easier on those trips!!

Now - one thing I have noticed is that every airport I was in did different things to check my breastmilk out..ranging from doing nothing to opening every bottle/bag so that they could put the swabby thing over the top for a second...what a nightmare...I'm all for securty, but I really didnt like having to open all of those things in the unclean security area! I had requested that we go somewhere clearer and not in the middle of everything but they wouldnt let me..when I was done, there were drops of milk everywhere on the table - I had fun telling them that they were bodily fluids and they really should clean them up as such...

Happy Travels! PM me if you have more questions!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have a 14 month old and was a pumping and traveling mom for 8 month!

I have never had any trouble bringing the ice packs through security - frozen or unfrozen. I print out the TSA guidelines that say breastmilk can be taken even if you dont have the baby with you but I have never needed it.

I have flown through BOS, ABQ, ELP, HSV, ATL, JFK, SLC with them.

On my outbound trips, I have often just had the cooler and freeze packs but they werent frozen yet. I always tell the attendant before I put it through the belt so that they know why. A few times I have had questions about why they arent frozen - and I"m sure that having them frozen would have made things easier on those trips!!

Now - one thing I have noticed is that every airport I was in did different things to check my breastmilk out..ranging from doing nothing to opening every bottle/bag so that they could put the swabby thing over the top for a second...what a nightmare...I'm all for securty, but I really didnt like having to open all of those things in the unclean security area! I had requested that we go somewhere clearer and not in the middle of everything but they wouldnt let me..when I was done, there were drops of milk everywhere on the table - I had fun telling them that they were bodily fluids and they really should clean them up as such...

Happy Travels! PM me if you have more questions!

OMG. The TSA strikes again. Incompetence run amuck! Folks if you REALLY want to claim that the TSA does ANYTHING to protect you read this paragraph again CAREFULLY!!!

"On my outbound trips, I have often just had the cooler and freeze packs but they werent frozen yet. I always tell the attendant before I put it through the belt so that they know why. A few times I have had questions about why they arent frozen - and I"m sure that having them frozen would have made things easier on those trips!! "

1. The rules say you can take the breast milk. Do we see "breast milk"?

2. Since there is NO breast milk what we have are "LIQUIDS" that are not in the "approved" baggie.

This is such a breach of security I am at the "I will do anything the TSA says to protect us" view that's often on this board


This is a blatent violation of the TSAs own rules. This should have been REQUIRED to go in the checked luggage. There was NO good reason it was allowed as carryon.

(Of course the real truth is that the whole "liquid ban" is a JOKE and this proves it. So next time you want to get around it, try saying "it's for my unpumped breast milk" SERIOUSLY! Just pour you water into some type of container stick it in a cooler and annouce "it's for my breast milk" Of course that would probably also work for your explosive devices so....)

 

[n2mm]

We had no problem using them to keep perscrip. meds cold during one trip. We did point it out to the TSA when going through security.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I read the TSA website about flying with breastmilk, but didn't see anything about the gel freezer packs I'll need to bring to keep everything frozen.

It's there:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1059.shtm

Additional items you may bring include:

Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;
Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;
Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,
Gels or frozen liquids needed to cool disability or medically related items used by persons with disabilities or medical conditions.


Of course you are free to pack this in ice (dry ice would be best; the small amount you would need is fine) in your checked baggage. You can even check ice chests. You didn't mention if you were speaking about checked or carry-on baggage.

 

[cel_disney]

wow..orangecountycommuter...tough day?

Anyway - I've never been told it was prohibited to have the cooling packs with me as long as its evident that they are for pumping supplies which fall under medical (my pump, cooler bag, bottles are pretty good evidence)...

Good Luck! Being a pumping traveling mom is hard work! you are awesome for doing it!!

 

[mrsstats]

You were able to use the ice packs???

Yes, DH has a packback with an insulated pocket. No problem but this was out of a small airport.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

As I already posted, ice packs are allowed, even for non-medical reasons as long as they are frozen solid. It's stated right on the TSA website and has been discussed here many, many times.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

As I already posted, ice packs are allowed, even for non-medical reasons as long as they are frozen solid. It's stated right on the TSA website and has been discussed here many, many times.

So someone explain (A) why frozen liquids could not be "defrosted" into the "mythical liquid bomb" and (B) why the poster above with UNFROZWN gel packs got to bring them on becasuse EVENTUALLY they would be frozen??



The TSA "protects" us from ....

IMHO, this whole thread shows that entire "liquid ban" is a JOKE that even the TSA knows is really doing nothing to protect us, but they do to show "we are doing something" Your tax $$$$$ at waste!

 

[NotUrsula]

If your are talking about milk that you will pump en route, it is actually best not to freeze it but to leave it only chilled. It will not spoil as quickly that way, and you will be able to freeze some of it when you arrive so that it will keep longer. The reason for this is that once the milk begins to thaw it must be used within 24 hours and cannot be refrozen. (You can take pre-frozen gel packs for pumping en route.)

If the milk will be frozen when you leave home, then yes, you can take gel packs to keep it frozen, except that it won't -- keep it frozen, that is. EBM thaws very quickly once the ice pack gets to about 35F, and IME gel packs really won't keep it frozen for more than an hour or two; as soon as the gel starts the soften the milk will begin to thaw. Dry ice works better, but you need to register for an airline permit to carry that, and use a specially-vented cooler.

According to the CDC:

Room temp (up to 77F): 6-8 hours covered and sealed.
Cooler bag: 5-39F, up to 24 hours if the temp does not go above 39F
Fridge: 39F, up to 5 days at the back of the fridge (away from the door)
Freezer compartment: 5F, up to 2 weeks
Regular freezer: 0F, up to 6 months
Deep freeze: -4F, up to a year

Now, as to bringing along room-temp gel packs when you will not actually be able to freeze them before arriving at your destination, this is normally NOT allowed in carryon baggage. I actually used to bring "fake milk" (frozen skim cow's milk, actually) in order to get through security with frozen gel packs when I was going to pump en-route; it was a whole lot easier than arguing with clueless TSO's about how I could possibly mfr. milk while the plane was in the air.

PS: For travel, storing in hard bottles works better than bags -- the onboard change in air pressure can rupture bags very easily.

 

[Nennie]

Thanks so much everyone for the info and advice!!! also wanted to post my experience in the event that it might help someone else.

On check out day, I filled my soft cooler with 2 gel packs, and 6 frozen bags of breastmilk, and dropped it off at bell services to be stored in the freezer.

I picked up the cooler at 4:30pm, and had it with me til I arrived home at 1am, and am happy to report that everything was still frozen SOLID when I got home! I was expecting a little slushiness, but nope, everything was solid as a rock!

As for TSA...no problems whatsover! I told the one guy as it was going through xray that it was breastmilk. After it went through xray, another TSA guy quickly opened the cooler to peek inside and then zipped it back up and I was on my way.

Thanks again everyone!