Breastfeeding On The Go: Breastfeeding Hacks For Travelling Moms

Breastfeeding Hacks For Travelling Moms

Here are the top breastfeeding hacks for travelling moms to feed their babies on the go:

Keep Up With Breastfeeding

Many mothers don’t feed their babies as frequently as they do at home when travelling. This is because it can be hard to find a safe space for breastfeeding in public areas. Remember you should do this at least ten times within 24 hours to maintain your milk supply.

Planning properly will help you with feeding your baby on time. You can consider stopping at rest stops for breastfeeding. Bringing a manual pump on the trip will also be helpful for this purpose.

Doing so will allow you to keep your baby hydrated and well-fed.

If you’re worried about milk supply, you may also consider hand expression. Many mothers find it more effective for pumping milk than a manual hand pump. After all, this will keep your body in shape if you cannot manage frequent feedings.

Practice New Positions

Another thing that helps with breastfeeding on the go is practising new feeding positions. This is because some types have been designed to boost milk supply and make latching easier. You can also avoid sore nipples and other health issues by using the best position for breastfeeding while travelling.

Some positions that are suitable for travelling moms are:

• Upright breastfeeding positions
• Koala hold

The best part about these positions is that they do not require you to lie down. This is why breastfeeding becomes easier in places with low space, such as aeroplanes and buses. The baby will sit upright in these positions and face towards you.

Positions such as koala hold also prevent your baby from disturbing other passengers during feeding. This is because the position will prevent the newborn from kicking others. You may also keep the baby in a carrier while feeding.

Wear Friendly Dresses For Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding in public can be a hassle if you’re not wearing appropriate clothing. You should always pack some supportive clothes for this purpose when travelling. Remember that feeding your baby directly from the breast should be your top choice.

You should only resort to pumping milk when you absolutely cannot manage to breastfeed. Many brands offer friendly nursing clothes for new mothers to feed their babies easily. You may consider wearing the following items when travelling with an infant:

• Warp dresses
• Button-down shirts
• V-neck shirts
• Crossover tops

These dresses allow the baby to easily latch to the nipple without exposing your breast completely. This is why feeding in public places such as bus or train seats will be easier. Another hack that will help you is wearing a tank top under your outfits.

A tank top will save your top from milk stains while breastfeeding or lactating. You may also carry a scarf with you to enhance privacy when feeding your baby.

Pack Milk Beforehand

Sometimes you may decide to pump milk on the go when travelling. For instance, you may use the restroom of the aeroplane for pumping when your baby is hungry. However, this may not be feasible for long trips and can lead to the disturbance of other passengers.

It will also be difficult to pump milk if you’re travelling by bus or rental car with a large group. That is why you should always carry already pumped milk with you as a backup. You can pack some ice in a bag and keep the milk bottle on it to maintain its freshness.

This hack is mainly suitable for moms who travel for long hours without access to washrooms or rest stops.

Typically, breast milk will remain good for eight hours at standard room temperature. Packing it in a box with ice or an ice pack will extend the shelf life to a day.

Plan Ahead For Breastfeeding

If you go on trips frequently, it is best to plan ahead when a baby will accompany you. The top thing you can do is choose airports that offer nursing rooms for mothers. You can easily breastfeed your baby at such stops or pump your milk without strange eyes making you uncomfortable.

You can also check such nursing rooms at other locations when travelling. Some malls offer stations for mothers to breastfeed their babies easily. Investing in a nursing cover will also help you significantly.

The best part about planning ahead and strategizing is that you can maintain privacy without compromising on feeding your baby. A good plan will also save you the trouble of checking into hotels hurriedly.

Download A Reliable App

Technology has improved a lot over the years, making things easier for working parents and travelling moms. You can use a reliable app to find breastfeeding areas within a region. Such an application is useful for mothers who are on the go and travel to new locations more often.

The best app on the market for finding lactation spaces is the MAMAVA app. Other platforms that help with searching for breastfeeding areas include:

• FeedFinder
• Moms Pump Here
• Pumpspotting

A common feature of these apps is that they are available on Android and iOS devices. This means you don’t have to worry about your phone or tablet’s incompatibility. All rooms mentioned in these apps are safe and well-maintained.

Stop At Cafes Or Restaurants

Travelling may prevent you from feeding your baby on time, but you can work out a plan by making different stops. Visiting a restaurant or café with your baby can help you energize yourself and breastfeed your baby comfortably.

Avoid being conscious of nursing in public because breastfeeding is completely natural. Even on planes, women are allowed to nurse their babies without covering them as per the laws.

So always know your rights before deciding to avoid breastfeeding, thinking it is unlawful or not allowed.

The top thing about stopping at cafes or restaurants is that it will eliminate the need for hand expressing or pumping milk using an electric tool. You will also not have to worry about packing ice for storing breastmilk.

Final Words

This is everything you need to know about breastfeeding hacks for travelling moms. It can be difficult to feed your baby on time on a trip, but these hacks will make things easier for you. The best thing is you will not have to worry about your milk supply while travelling.

Breastfeeding positions can help with easy feeding and better supply. Meanwhile, searching for lactation spaces will help you nurse your baby without worrying about strangers looking at you or feeling uncomfortable.