Actress Rose Byrne is a new mum who, like many new working mums, has to breastfeed or pump virtually anywhere.
While she was traveling to promote her film, ‘Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising’, she had been pumping in transit for her 3-month-old son, Rocco, but her breast milk was confiscated by the TSA (Transportation Security Administration).
She shared her experience on Late Night with Stephen Colbert. “They wave this weird thing over the top of it, and there’s a whole production going on,” said the 36-year-old actress, who has a 3-month-old son with partner, actor Bobby Cannavale. “They take it very seriously that it could be something.”
While most celebrities would probably throw a diva-like hissy fit, Rose chose to “just stand there and smile and tell them that it’s really breast milk and that it’s nothing.”
According to the TSA website, breast milk is not included in the list of liquids (minimum of 3.4 ounces) which can be subjected to security examinations—such as X-rays.
Breast milk, however, is on the list of liquids which parents must declare to the TSA.
Though Byrne did not elaborate how the issue was resolved, another celebrity mum, Alyssa Milano, had a similar experience at London’s Heathrow airport, where her breast milk was seized.
But, Byrne is maintaining a positive attitude towards the whole thing and even joked on the show about perhaps flashing her lactating breasts just to assuage the doubts of airport security.
During the same interview, she talks more about being a mum. “It takes a long time to leave the house — maybe an hour, hour 45 minutes just to get out the door,” she says, talking about the struggles of having an infant. “To do anything, you have to bring so many things with you. Then when you get out, he just throws up everywhere or takes a big poop and you’ve got to go back inside again.”
And, like most new parents, she and partner Bobby are no strangers to sleep deprivation.
“Who needs sleep?” she joked. “Just roll on coffee and love.”
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