Kathleen Terry
Certified Lactation Consultant
Grady Memorial Hospital
561 W. Central Avenue
Delaware, Ohio 43015
Phone: (740) 368-4449

Question. I will be away from my infant who I am breastfeeding for 3 -4 days due to a business trip. How can I maintain my breastmilk supply while I am gone? 

Answer. A mother who has been providing breastmilk to her infant and will be away due to travel can maintain her milk supply by breast pumping.  If there is time, a mother may wish to build up a supply of breastmilk that can be fed to her infant while she is away. 

Building up a supply takes time and patience. It is also important to allow the infant who has never taken milk from a bottle to practice this prior to the mother's departure.

To maintain a good milk supply while away, a mother should have a good breast pump to express her milk. Mothers that only need to do occasional milk expression can be successful with battery and manual breast pumps, as well as hand expression.  However, maintaining the milk supply over a long period of time requires a pump that uses an electrical power source.

To help maintain the milk supply, a mother will need to express her milk every three-to-four hours for a child who is less than six months of age, and slightly less often if the child is older. If the travel includes a plane flight, it is important to check with the airline prior to departure to gain an understanding of the restraints and requirements for carrying fluids on airplanes. 

Expressed milk should be stored in clean, tightly sealed containers and refrigerated or frozen.

For more information on Breastfeeding, visit www.BirthofaMom.com.