Have you heard about this happening?

[eviesingleton]

Tonight I helped host an on-campus event. My supervisor reminded us to tell people not to bring food/beverages into the chapel where the event was taking place, not even bottled water (only the speaker is allowed to have that). I asked, "What about breast-milk?" to which my supervisor said that she didn't know the official position on breast-milk in the chapel. I purposely didn't say NIP/bottle, I just wanted to see her reaction. She said that it would be a cold day in hell before she kicked any mother out for feeding a baby, no matter what the source.

Anyway....

That prompted a story from one of the other hosts who said that her friend went to a conference, pumped all weekend, and airport security made her throw away all of her bottled breastmilk because she didn't have a baby with her.

[BakerALM]

Originally Posted by eviesingleton

Anyway....

That prompted a story from one of the other hosts who said that her friend went to a conference, pumped all weekend, and airport security made her throw away all of her bottled breastmilk because she didn't have a baby with her.

This comes up all the time on EPing boards. I have heard from moms directly that this is especially a problem since 9-11. It of course depends upon the airline and then also sadly on the specific security personal to enforcing such a ruling. They will tell you that you can put the BM into your checked baggage but not into your carry on. The problem with that is that if you were not planning ahead the ice packs you have may not last the entire trip(especially if you were planning on stocking up on fresh ice at a layover or from the inflight bar). Dry ice is really the best for airline flights, since on many occasions they could lose your bag and by the time you get it returned the milk will be spoiled but dry ice can keep for a day or 2 if it is packed well. They will allow some BM on the plane but the amount depend again on the airlne and if you babe is with you or not.

This whole topic makes me really sad :since I bet you could get though with a can of dry formula No PROBLEM even if your babe was not with you.:

[katheek77]

I have heard about this sort of thing happening. It happened to me personally at the Andy Warhol museum. I left the exhibit to feed my baby a bottle (of EBM) and was told that even though I was in the hall on a bench in front of the elevator, nowhere NEAR any of the exhibits (you had to walk through double doors to get to them), I could not feed my baby there; I had to go from the 7th floor down to the first floor or basement.

I'm pretty sure if I was NIP, they wouldn't have made me do that. Baby was NOT pleased, and we haven't gone back since.

[mamasophy]

At an outdoor theater I lived near, they didn't allow any food, including breastfeeding, because "it attracts bees".

[Zwillingsmama]

Originally Posted by mamasophy

At an outdoor theater I lived near, they didn't allow any food, including breastfeeding, because "it attracts bees".

I can't stop laughing at that one! At the same time it's kinda sad...

[MadysonMom]

I had to attend a confernce last week and I am still nursing my 6 mo. DD. My parents were nice enough to travel with me and bring DD so I did not have to use my stash of EBM in the freezer. I was petrified they would not allow me to bring the milk with me. I printed out the directions about traveling with BM from the tsa website and followed all the directions. We had no problems but I did read that you are not allowed to travel with milk unless the child is with you. I would have freaked out if I took all week to pump and was told I could not bring that milk back with me. This is a policy that needs to be changed.
I thought it was amusing that in the tsa direcitons it said you or your child will not be asked to taste the milk. It also went on to say that security would not taste the milk. I found this very amusing. Could you imagine a security guard taking out your BM and tasting it in the line. I would love to see that happen.

[MadysonMom]

Just another note. When I was at the hotel I had some milk that I had pumped and needed to freez. I went to the front desk and asked them if they had a freezer I could use. They asked me what I needed it for and when I told them they said I could not use the freezer because that it was not sanitary. Did they mean the milk or the freezer? I am sure my milk is the least of the worries in a hotel freezer.....

[mags]

Originally Posted by MadysonMom

Just another note. When I was at the hotel I had some milk that I had pumped and needed to freez. I went to the front desk and asked them if they had a freezer I could use. They asked me what I needed it for and when I told them they said I could not use the freezer because that it was not sanitary. Did they mean the milk or the freezer? I am sure my milk is the least of the worries in a hotel freezer.....

I am sure they probably felt your BM was unsanitary. You know, BM is a biohazard, right? : Ppl are so ignorant. I'd be more worried about their freezer being gross though... I've worked in food service before and the walk in freezer was NOT a very clean place.

[bandgeek]

Question: If a place doesn't allow breastmilk, does it really make sense to let lactating women in at all? I mean, she still has milk in her breasts and can squirt that bio-hazardous stuff out at any time and ruin exhibits, ect. What if she leaks a little and the bees are attracted to her chest? And how would they go about checking for lactating women? Would a designated employee be standing at the door, squeezing breasts on the way in, making sure nothing is coming out of them?

The whole thing is ridiculus. Remember when there was the big fuss over the woman nursing by the pool, they made her move because she was "distracting the lifeguard" or whatever, then back-pedaled and said it was because there was a "no food or drinks" rule at the pool? But her breasts *always* have milk in them so what does it matter if it springs a leak directly into the pool, or if a bit spills out of a bottle, or if a bit dribbles out of a nursing baby's mouth.

So, so dumb.

[phreedom]

I'm going to be going to a conference in September and not bringing my babe with me. Meaning I'm going to have to pump and store it. I called Continental and asked them their policy on EBM. I was told I could check it in but not bring it on board unless I had my baby with me. I'm going to flip if they make me throw it away.

I'm glad someone brought up dry Ice. I don't know if I will have access to a freezer to freeze it beforehand, so dry Ice will probably be the best idea. Where could I get that? And has anyone had trouble with it getting past the security gates?

[Sandstress]

Originally Posted by bandgeek

Question: What if she leaks a little and the bees are attracted to her chest?
So, so dumb.

OK, thanks for THOSE nightmares....

[Sandstress]

Originally Posted by phreedom

I'm going to be going to a conference in September and not bringing my babe with me. Meaning I'm going to have to pump and store it. I called Continental and asked them their policy on EBM. I was told I could check it in but not bring it on board unless I had my baby with me. I'm going to flip if they make me throw it away.

I'm glad someone brought up dry Ice. I don't know if I will have access to a freezer to freeze it beforehand, so dry Ice will probably be the best idea. Where could I get that? And has anyone had trouble with it getting past the security gates?

Please don't take these TSA rules lightly- they will most likely be enforced. I flew with about 20 frozen lansinoh bags in a cooler packed with dry ice. It lasted the night before (whole package in a deep freezer) and then the next day until about 6 pm when I finally to go my home (after a missed connection and BAD Houston traffic.) I was in tears thinking about having to dump all that milk out. When I got home, there was still dry ice in the cooler. I taped up the cooler with packing tape, and I think I had a label with my name and address and stuff. I can't rmemeber if I put "perishable" or not. The dude at the scanner (you check your baggage in a different place in PGH) asked what it was, and I told him frozen milk- nothing more said.

As for dry ice, I called a bunch of packing/shipping places, and they actually recommended the place I bought it- an auto supply store. It was actually listed in the yellow pages under "ice".

Good luck.

[phreedom]

Originally Posted by Sandstress

Please don't take these TSA rules lightly- they will most likely be enforced. I flew with about 20 frozen lansinoh bags in a cooler packed with dry ice. It lasted the night before (whole package in a deep freezer) and then the next day until about 6 pm when I finally to go my home (after a missed connection and BAD Houston traffic.) I was in tears thinking about having to dump all that milk out. When I got home, there was still dry ice in the cooler. I taped up the cooler with packing tape, and I think I had a label with my name and address and stuff. I can't rmemeber if I put "perishable" or not. The dude at the scanner (you check your baggage in a different place in PGH) asked what it was, and I told him frozen milk- nothing more said.

As for dry ice, I called a bunch of packing/shipping places, and they actually recommended the place I bought it- an auto supply store. It was actually listed in the yellow pages under "ice".

Good luck.

Thanks for the info. I wanna make sure I'm prepared. Whether they are lax about it or not, I want to make sure I do it "by the books". We're gonna being flying into and out of Houston too. Blah.

[blizzard_babe]

I'm still giggling at the "bees" comment.

[mzfern]

Originally Posted by bandgeek

Question: If a place doesn't allow breastmilk, does it really make sense to let lactating women in at all? I mean, she still has milk in her breasts and can squirt that bio-hazardous stuff out at any time and ruin exhibits, ect. What if she leaks a little and the bees are attracted to her chest? And how would they go about checking for lactating women? Would a designated employee be standing at the door, squeezing breasts on the way in, making sure nothing is coming out of them?

The whole thing is ridiculus. Remember when there was the big fuss over the woman nursing by the pool, they made her move because she was "distracting the lifeguard" or whatever, then back-pedaled and said it was because there was a "no food or drinks" rule at the pool? But her breasts *always* have milk in them so what does it matter if it springs a leak directly into the pool, or if a bit spills out of a bottle, or if a bit dribbles out of a nursing baby's mouth.

So, so dumb.

: bandgeek, you crack me up!

[prettymom]

My SIL goes on business trips, pumps and takes it carry-on back home. I don't know how much exactly she brings back on the plane with her. Does anyone know the actual federal law on this? TSA changes policy frequently and each airport enforces security so differently.

[pixiesmommy]

You can sometimes buy dry ice at places like Target, Walmart, and grocery stores. You may have to call around to find out who sells it.

Manda

[bdavis337]

I traveled just after 9-11 with my then-1 year old son. I had several bottles of formula, and I had to drink at least 1 oz of EACH bottle, as did he. Really screwed up my entire flight and travel plans when he refused to give up the bottle he had to "taste", and I was short a whole bottle for the day.

Originally Posted by MadysonMom

I had to attend a confernce last week and I am still nursing my 6 mo. DD. My parents were nice enough to travel with me and bring DD so I did not have to use my stash of EBM in the freezer. I was petrified they would not allow me to bring the milk with me. I printed out the directions about traveling with BM from the tsa website and followed all the directions. We had no problems but I did read that you are not allowed to travel with milk unless the child is with you. I would have freaked out if I took all week to pump and was told I could not bring that milk back with me. This is a policy that needs to be changed.
I thought it was amusing that in the tsa direcitons it said you or your child will not be asked to taste the milk. It also went on to say that security would not taste the milk. I found this very amusing. Could you imagine a security guard taking out your BM and tasting it in the line. I would love to see that happen.

[bdavis337]

Originally Posted by MadysonMom

Just another note. When I was at the hotel I had some milk that I had pumped and needed to freez. I went to the front desk and asked them if they had a freezer I could use. They asked me what I needed it for and when I told them they said I could not use the freezer because that it was not sanitary. Did they mean the milk or the freezer? I am sure my milk is the least of the worries in a hotel freezer.....

If it was a restaurant or licensed food service place, they probably do have restrictions on what can be in the freezer or walk-in. If it's just a regular freezer in the breakroom though, well.....I bet it was nasty anyway, and you wouldnt' have wanted your milk in there!!!!!

[ulla]

Originally Posted by bdavis337

If it was a restaurant or licensed food service place, they probably do have restrictions on what can be in the freezer or walk-in. If it's just a regular freezer in the breakroom though, well.....I bet it was nasty anyway, and you wouldnt' have wanted your milk in there!!!!!

Exactly. I own a restaurant and nothing is permitted in the refrigerators or freezers that is not intended for the business. That would also include any food or beverages employees might bring from home.

It also has to do with liability issues. If we were to store breast milk in our freezer for a customer and a child later consumed it and coincidentally became ill, we could be held liable and become the target of a lawsuit, either justified or frivolous.

If this was a good restaurant, doubt that the freezer was "nasty".