When Katie Langan carefully stored away the expressed breastmilk, little did she know that it will not reach her daughter. At the Heathrow airport, she was asked to let go of the milk for security reasons. The 33-year-old, who was on a break in London, was flying home to the Netherlands, to her bub, Layla and partner Winus Van Asselt.
Inspite of offering solutions like decanting the milk into approved containers, paying the extra baggage fee, and even pleading with the security personnel, the mum was forced to dump her milk.
According to a report, the distraught mother said, “I was totally heartbroken that I had to dump this breastmilk that I had put love and time into pumping. It is a chore but it’s a labour of love.”
While there are certain regulations with regards to carrying breastmilk in aircrafts, as long as the dos and don’t are followed most airports allow it.
Apparently, she has travelled quite often over the past year for work through various airports, and has never had any problems getting it through security. If lactating mums don’t continue to express milk when they are away from their babies, their supply gradually reduces. This means that once they are back, they cannot produce as much milk.
“It was extremely frustrating. It was either stand there and argue with him or miss my flight, which I didn’t want to do because I had been away from my baby,” said Katie, as mentioned in this report.
Continue reading to know best ways for storing breastmilk!
Mothers who breastfeed consider expressing and storing breastmilk usually when they intend to resume work, and at times they want to have a bit of flexibility.
Whatever be the reason, storing breastmilk can be tricky, especially if you are travelling. However, it’s something quite possible as long as you follow certain dos and don’ts.
Here are a few essential tips on storing breastmilk so that it remains fresh for your baby’s consumption:
- Store the milk in clean, glass or hard plastic containers with caps, or special plastic bags meant for milk storage.
- Ensure that the container is BPA-free.
- Avoid storing breastmilk in disposable bottle liners or plastic bags meant for general household purpose.
- Label each container using waterproof ink with the date you expressed the milk.
- Store the containers in the back of the refrigerator or freezer, where the temperature is the coolest.
- One container must have milk enough for one feed only.
- Avoid filling the containers to the brim since breastmilk expands as it freezes.
Since longevity of breastmilk depends on the storage method, consult an expert, especially if you are planning to be away for a long duration. Also, the guidelines will vary based on the baby’s health. Hence, it’s always advisable to check with your paediatrician to find out what breastmilk storage protocols would they recommend.
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