How do you pump in an airplane? What are the rules?

In general, it should be okay to pump or breastfeed on your flight. Call up the airlines you're flying with to double confirm. Since you'll be in a metal tube for a good amount of time with strangers, best to take special precautions to be discreet in case a fellow passenger might complain about feeling uncomfortable. What one of my mommy friends would do is that she will tell the flight attendant in her zone as well as the passengers in her row about her intention to pump sometime during the flight. This way, if there are any issues, the crew will be able to reseat passengers. She usually pumps under a blanket and tries to do it before meal service or before the lights are dimmed. I know some moms who pump in the plane bathroom because they prefer privacy but if you do so, remember not to use the water from the taps because those are not clean. Ready a bottle of drinking water or request hot water from the crew if you need to sterilize equipments. Clease your hands with sanitizer. As pumps are usually electric in nature, best to avoid expressing milk before take off and landing sd they need to be turned ofg just like other mobile or electronic devices.

Great question and as a frequent flyer mummy I have never ran into any troubles before. In fact the airlines and aircrew have been nothing but supportive of my breastfeeding journey. Here are some steps I recommend 1. Prepare a cooler or fridge to go to bring along on your journey. 2. Prepare some frozen ice packs 3. Remember to pack your milk bags and charge your pump before the flight 4. When checking in, tell the counter staff that you are a breastfeeding mum and need to pump. You should request for an empty row if available, so you can pump in your seat if possible. My experience has shown me that asking nicely and explaining tht you plan to pump in your seat, generally gets you a full row to yourself 5. Pump at your seat but do use a shawl or blanket to cover up. 6. Transfer the milk into a milk bag and place it in the cooler bag with the ice packs. 7. Pass the whole cooler bag (with used bottles and expressed milk) to the stewardess to store in the chiller.

I've travelled while pumping and not encountered any problems. When checking in, tell them nicely you are going to pump and you will get an empty row or at least an empty seat next to you :) As for transporting expressed breast milk, take note that the guidelines are by the airport, not airline. On a recent trip to Hong Kong, I was advised to take a photo of my child's BC but security was kind as I was Travelling without my baby. Autumnz cooler bah has served me very well :) with medela ice pack