. . . But I'll take it.
I recently found out that I'm going to have to go to Washington DC in a couple of weeks, for a meeting. It's a day trip - I will likely leave my house at 4am and come back around 6pm (I hope.)
I wrote a whole big whiney draft about it that I never actually posted. It'll be my first extended time away from the baby - far, far away from the baby. I was initially really sad about it, then realized that for the past 6 months, other people at work have picked up my workload and travel, and will continue to pick up my travel for week-long trips. I really should get over it, and do this one-day without complaining.
I haven't yet mentioned to my 2 male traveling companions that during the trip I will need to find two, perhaps three opportunities to pump breast milk. I'm saving that bit of news - I can't decide whether to mention it in person or in an email. I kind of want to see how they react, and then again, I don't.
Once I came to the conclusion that I really need to just suck it up and go on this trip, the thing I was most morose about was that because of TSA regulations, I'll have to dump out any breast milk I do pump. (The whole "no-liquids" crapola.) That's sad. It's a long, tedious, slightly uncomfortable and certainly unglamourous job to actually pump out the milk, and to throw it away seems . . . disappointing, to say the very least.
This evening I decided to poke around for info on whether I could bring my electric pump on-board as a carry-on (or else resort to the even more tedious manual pump.) I found a TSA article that made me very happy - as of August 4th, breast milk is being re-classified into the same category as medically necessary liquid medication. Now, mothers travelling with or without their children can carry-on more than 3oz of expressed breast milk, as long as you declare it at the security checkpoint. (The article also says that no, they're not going to make you taste it to prove that it's boob juice and not boom juice.)
That makes it better. It doesn't say anything about whether I can bring the frozen gel packs to keep it cold, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. If I have to I can always buy ice at the airport.
I have pictures of my new living room furniture to post. Hopefully tomorrow.
10 comments:
Big victory for moms everywhere. Before I got to the end of your post, I was wondering if you could have packed it in checked luggage with cold ice pack things to keep it cold.
That is good news. I know they don't care about carrying the milk or formula on board but I did wonder if you could sans baby.
They should make insulated boob containers. Complete with nipple.
Puffy, since it's just a day trip I won't have checked luggage. However, that is how people have been doing it - crossing their fingers that it didnt get lost. I could have brought a checked bag for just that purpose, but having checked luggage hinders my standby chances and if there's any way to get an earlier flight home I want it.
Zombs, before Saturday, you couldn't, sans baby. It makes this trip a little easier for me to take.
"sans" baby is funny.
It will be hard to leave her and you will probably cry. She on the other hand will be completely fine.
*giggle* boob juice
Yay!
I just went over the guidelines and was thinking you would be able to.
It's hard to leave the babies at home, especially when you're breastfeeding. I say you should tell your male co traveling buddies face to face! I'd love to see their reactions!
Your day will go faster than you anticipate and all will be fine. More fine for the baby than you, but fine nonetheless. Have a good (quick) trip!
Yikes! That will not be fun. {{{hugs}}}
I always hated pumping and sucked at it. Wait - that came out wrong, lol!
It would be fun to watch your male companions try not to look at your chest before and after as you leave on a pumping mission.
Have you never tasted it? Kind of sweet and very un-creamy.
I think you should tell your companions that you will need some "help".
Post a Comment