Pumping on overseas business trip

Hi ladies. I just returned to work this week after being at home for 4 months and learned that I have to travel to Switzerland for 1 week during the first week of May. I am in panic mode for a number of reasons but am overwhelmed at the thought of pumping and traveling. I did a 3 day trip away from them across the country when they were 3 mo old and it was difficult enough. The worse part was the travel days (planes, airports, etc.). Has anyone had to do any overseas trip? Here are the things I am worried about:

+I am not pumping enough when away from them at work to keep up with their intake when I am away from them so we are going through my frozen supply FAST. They will likely have to have formula when I am gone on this trip.
+How to deal with the long plane trip and travel time outside of plane trip (train rides, etc. in Europe)? I am traveling with co-workers and we are often rushing, etc. to catch trains, taxis, so it is overwhelming to figure out how and where I will pump. I have 2 of the small electric hand held pumps that I can use and also a main pump with a battery pack. However, I have found that the hand held pumps don't work as well and also the battery pack doesn't work as well as when I can plug into an outlet?

+Worried if they will have a pumping room at the facility that I am working in? I can check this but doubt that they do. Also, the days are jam packed with meetings and it is quite awkward to get up in the middle of a meeting to pump without impacting what co-workers/managers think of me. How can I do this discreetly? Should I talk to my mgrs ahead of time? They are all men, btw. and most of my co-workers are men.

+ Should I even bother trying to save the milk? That adds an additional stressor for me and I feel like if I eliminate this then it seems a little less overwhelming.

I really hope one of you has done this before and can help calm or encourage me and provide me with any tips that worked for you. I bf my DS for a year and want to provide that to my twins as well. I also overcame some huge obstacles after delivery to be able to BF them so I don't want let a stupid business trip spoil it all!

 

Sorry no good advice, but just wanted to give you a thumbs up for even thinking about doing such an amazing thing!

 

:hug: I can't imagine!!! :hug: It sounds as if you have an awesome support system at home! Good luck with the airplaine travel. Perhaps a stewardess can help out with a better place to pump. (I don't fly often, so I don't know.) When you are away, it definitely would be stressful trying to save it for your babies. It sounds as if there would be a lot less stress if you can 'find another home' for it. Perhaps someone knows of a baby who needs it over there. I know here I've used Milkshare (yahoo group) and perhaps that would be a possibility. Post a message of the day you will be leaving... I'm just shooting off an idea. :hug: Good luck!

 

WOW! I don't have any practical experience with this, but I just wanted to tell you that I am amazed by you. That is true commitment to giving your babies the best. I really hope you get to continue breastfeeding!

Is your office pretty BFing friendly, so that you would feel comfortable talking to your coworkers beforehand? If so, you might find that they would understand and give you some support or breaks to go pump. Maybe show them that new study that just came out about the benefits of breastfeeding?

If it is an extra stressor to save the milk, I would let that be a lower priority. Most important is probably that you keep up your supply so you can continue when you return home, right?

I wonder if Switzerland might be more BFing friendly? A lot of those european nations seem to be ahead of us in that way.

One other thing. I returned to work recently, and while I am pumping, I do have to supplement. I wasn't happy about this, BUT I tell myself that at least the babies are still getting BM MOST of the time, and I have not quit yet. That is a major feat.

So, sorry no great advice, but I wanted to send along some encouragement. Tell us how it goes. You're a great mama!

 

Thanks for your support ladies! What a great forum. I can't believe I am just now getting back on twinstuff after 4 months MIA! Funny how going back to work gives me more time online. hehe!
I am really hoping I can find a way to make it work... I think I will focus on being able to pump to keep supply going and not worry about them getting formula while I am gone and not being able to transport the milk back. I hadn't thought of donating it there. that is a definitely something I will check into. Great idea! It will kill me to poor all of that precious milk down the drain...

 

I don't suppose you would want to pay a nanny to take the twins with you on your trip? That's what I plan to do for an upcoming business trip. I just used miles to pay her ticket. I can't stand the idea of being away from them.

 

I thought about taking my mom and babies with me... however, these trips always have activities in the evening and it will make it even more stressful knowing they are so close and I can't see them. Plus the thought of traveling overseas on a plane with them is OVERWHELMING to me. As I was typing this post, I just found out that my trip may be almost 2 weeks... I am starting to have a panic attack, I think. maybe I will rethink having them come with me...

 

I KNOW I read an article in Parents magazine this year about this very issue. It was very informative and funny. I can't find it online, but it was a feature. Grr. The woman bought dry ice & put it in a cooler. She tried pumping in the bathroom of the airplane but it didn't work so well... so on the way back just put a cover on and pumped in the seat. She became proud of her decision- it's not easy to breastfeed or pump in corporate Western culture.

Kudos to you!

 

I had to travel when my girls were pretty little (not overseas, but to the other coast... which was still pretty far with babies). I pumped just to keep up my supply. Storing milk and then trying to transport it just seemed too much. I pumped in my hotel room immediately upon waking. Then I tried to get back to my hotel for pumping at lunch time, and if that wasn't possible, I pumped in the conference facility bathroom. Not ideal, but it worked, especially since I just dumped the milk. Dumping the milk felt awful, but I still did it. I kept the pump in my huge purse and didn't share with my officemates what I was doing in those 20 minutes. I did a third pump right after getting back to my hotel room for the evening, and then once before bed. So, four pumping sessions each day. On the travel days I pumped before heading to the airport and immediately after getting to the hotel. If your flights are all day, I'd probably try to find an airport bathroom to pump in during a layover.

My supply really didn't suffer, and I kept the stress to a minimum by realizing I wasn't going to be able to keep to my regular pumping schedule while traveling.

If you decide to donate milk or store it, you add a huge amount of complexity, because you'll need refrigeration facilities wherever you are pumping. And you'll need the extra time and transportation to go drop it wherever the milk bank is.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the tips! I think what I am going to try and do is commit to a 3 times a day schedule while I am there. Once in morning, once during the day, and once at night. I will pray that once I return that I can increase my supply again. I just keeping thinking that I am affecting 2 babies with my decisions/actions on this and it is just so hard.

Thanks for the support!

 

Make sure your pump can handle the voltage over there. It's not just about getting an adaptor to fit the electrical plug, but the pump itself must be able to work on the different voltage used in Europe. You know how most hairdryers have a little switch that says 110/220--same concept.

 

I survived my 10 day trip to Europe and still have milk! It was an absolutely miserable experience (pumping mainly in bathrooms, dumping all of that milk, leaving meetings and social events, etc.) but I did it! And it was totally worth it. Just wanted to post that it is possible so if others have to deal with this, you CAN DO IT!

 

:clapping: Kudos to you! I can't imagine how hard it was to find time and places to pump while away, but I'm glad it worked out!!! Welcome home, I'm sure you are glad to be back!

 

Strong work! I had to pump in the bathroom during my conference, too. Taking the babies with me was pretty crazy; I dreaded going through security and it was a horror getting on and off the plane. You made a great decision going alone. Glad to hear your milk supply is still there.

 

YOU ARE AMAZING! I traveled overnight for work when the kiddos were 9 months old and it was a dreadfully stressful experience. I pumped in the airport bathroom twice, in a tiny conference room twice and then woke up twice in the middle of the night to pump! I cannot imagine doing it for as long as you did.

You are a super-mamma

 

I can't imagine how difficult it was taking babies with you! That added a totally different kind of stress for you! The things we do for our babies!