I found this great article on tips for pumping and breastfeeding on an airplane from
deliciuosbaby.com. Here's just part of their suggestions:
In Seattle, where I live, Breasfeeding in public is common, and I
quickly became comfortable nursing whenever I needed to. On an
airplane, however, things are different. You are inches away from
someone you've never met, and that person might be any age, gender, or
from a culture with different views on breastfeeding. . . and of course
you're stuck next to eachother for hours. It's understandable that
many moms are anxious about nursing (or pumping) on an airplane, and I
want to share my best tricks and tips for making it as easy as possible.
Nursing On An Airplane
The two main considerations for nursing on an airplane are maximizing
privacy for yourself and minimizing distractions for baby. You are also
"living" in close quarters with the people around you, and will want to
minimize their discomfort as well.
I always let the person I'm seated next to know that I'll be nursing so
that they have time to move if they feel uncomfortable. Nobody has ever
complained, but I think the extra time to get used to the idea was a
good idea for a few people. Sure, you have a legal right to nurse, but
you also have a moral obligation to be considerate to others.
Skip the Boppy. A nursing pillow is tough to lug around and won't fit
well in a coach sized seat. Use an airplane pillow to support baby once
you are on board (you can wrap it in your own blanket if you are
worried about germs)
Try to wait to nurse until the plane is taking off as nursing will help
baby clear his or her ears. Takeoff is also a calm time on the
airplane, and with any luck baby will drift off to sleep while nursing.
If baby is sleeping, he or she probably will not need help clearing his
or her ears. There is no need to wake a sleeping baby to nurse during
takeoff or landing.
I prefer to be covered while nursing, and I think it minimizes
distractions for baby and keeps her warmer. I use a nursing coverup
with a neck strap because it can be hard to keep readjusting a blanket
in such close quarters. My favorite is the Hooter Hider
. It folds and washes well, the fabric is pretty, and D can't pull it off.
A stuffy nose can make it difficult for baby to nurse, and cabin air
pressure can make the stuffiness worse. A few drops of saline solution
or breastmilk in her nose will help. You can buy a premade saline solution or bring your own along with a small plastic feeding syringe. Be gentle, even three or four drops can work wonders.
Some things to remember: You can't control what someone else might
think or say, but it is up to you whether you let someone's comment or
facial expression ruin your day.
Pumping on an Airplane
It's even more difficult to pump on an airplane than it is to nurse, but
sometimes (for example on a very long flight) it is necessary. Here
are my tips to pumping in flight easier
-
If you plan to pump in the bathroom, try to do it early in the flight,
during meal service, or during the movie when the lines for the bathroom
are shortest (and tying one up for 20 minutes will be the least
disruptive). Bring along everything you need, and remember that you
should never wash bottles or pumping accessories with airplane water because it is unsafe for babies
-
If you plan to pump in your seat, the best times are during takeoff
(after they've announced that it's ok to turn on electronic devices)
while meal carts fill the aisles, and during the movie because
passengers move around least during these times.
- Make sure you are familiar with how to use your pump before you fly.
You don't want to be fussing with cords in your snug airplane seat.
-
Pump hands free.
The Hands Free Pumping Bustier
is probably the single best product I had for pumping (besides the pump
itself). It is a breeze to slip on over a nursing bra, and you can
hook the pumps up without needing to see what you are doing. Best of
all, your hands are free to help baby, use a laptop, or read a book once
you are set up.
-
Cover up with a baby blanket or jacket. There's no need to bring a
special coverup for pumping on a plane as long as you have something
along that is big enough to give you privacy.
-
You can ask a flight attendant whether they have a place to store your
milk and keep it cold. Often they are able to help on longer flights.
Make sure your milk is well labeled and watch where it is stored (both
to make sure it doesn't get lost or isn't put in the wrong place.) I
once handed my milk to a flight attendant, she placed it on the counter,
and another flight attendant (not knowing it was to be kept cold)
warmed it and brought it back to me. The flight had no ice, and my son
wasn't hungry for another hour or two, so I ended up throwing away that
hard won milk.
Remember....Modest Middles make it easy to breastfeed discreetly!
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