Breastfeeding & Pumping Essentials for Traveling

If you’re planning to travel with a very young baby while also breastfeeding and/or pumping, this can seem like a very daunting endeavor. In reality, it gets easier every time you do it! After breastfeeding and traveling for about 7 months and formula / bottle feeding while traveling for 5 months, I found that breastfeeding was much easier from a logistical perspective. You’ve got the food with you, and you have less to pack!

Read more about my tips for traveling with a baby under 1 here and baby travel essentials for 0-6 months here.

This guide is designed to show you the products I found useful on my breastfeeding and traveling journey. Every journey and baby is different, so do what is right for you and your family! I hope this inspires you to travel with a baby and gives you some reassurance that is possible to do and actually enjoy!

Products for Mom while Breastfeeding & Traveling

Breastfeeding Cover

I was given a breastfeeding cover as a gift and hadn’t thought to put one on my registry. This one is very similar to one I used for months. The great thing about this type of cover is that it can also be used over the carseat, in a shopping cart, or as a scarf. I never used one in any way except for as a nursing cover, but my baby was born during the summer so over the carseat or as a scarf wasn’t necessary.

As I got more comfortable with nursing in public, I gradually stopped using a cover at all. However, depending on where you are traveling to, you might feel more comfortable using a cover, making this a top essential item for breastfeeding while traveling.

Stroller Fan

Advertised as a stroller fan, this amazing device is also quite versatile and another essential for breastfeeding while traveling, especially during the warm summer months. There were many times when I used this to help cool myself off while breastfeeding my son under the cover. It gets hot under there!

This fan can also be used during labor or attached to a carseat or stroller. The possibilities are truly endless. We even used this on our son’s bassinet when we stayed in Europe with no air conditioning.

Water Bottle

Breastfeeding is HARD work. There is absolutely no way around that and you’ve got to take care of yourself while doing it and traveling. One way to make sure you stay hydrated (essential for milk production) is to have a fun water bottle with you. This Stanley stainless steel tumbler with straw is one of my favorites. I like the handle on top, the fact that the straw flips, and that it fits nicely into my book bag while on the go. It also comes in many different colors which doesn’t hurt!

Snacks

I’m convinced that there is nothing quite like the breastfeeding hunger pains. It doesn’t have anything on the pregnancy hunger and cravings. What’s even worse is when you aren’t at home and don’t have your pantry or refrigerator at your disposal. I highly recommend snacks as one of my top breastfeeding essential items while traveling because you never know when a craving might strike! Some of my favorite snacks are Cheez-its and Perfect Bars for a quick protein boost.

Burt’s Bees Infant Burp Cloths

Okay, this item isn’t exactly for mom but you’ve got to have solid burp cloth while breastfeeding to preserve your own outfit. After receiving and trying many different brands, my absolute favorites are Burt’s Bees infant burp cloths. They are soft and hold up in the washing machine.

Pumping Essentials while Traveling

If you are exclusively breastfeeding and never leaving baby or giving baby a bottle, you may not need to read any further. However, there were times when my husband and I went out on an adventure or errand on a trip without our son or times when we traveled briefly overnight without our son. During these times, I needed items to help me pump and travel.

Haaka Manual Breast Pump

This item might be a bit situation dependent, but I found that I had excess milk in the mornings after not nursing for a few hours. This Haaka manual breast pump was perfect to use for a few minutes each day before the first nursing session. It is also very lightweight and easy to clean. Win win!

Spectra S1 Breast Pump & Wearable Cups

I typically only traveled with the Spectra S1 rechargeable breast pump when I knew I was going to be away from baby. For example, during one trip, we visited the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London and left baby behind with family. During this time, I traveled with this pump in order to pump when I missed the feeding session.

I will say that this beauty is big and not the smallest option available to travel with. However, I tried the expensive wearable breast pumps, and they just didn’t work for me. I loved that the Spectra S1 is rechargeable and supports wearable cups. Yes, this does mean that you will have cords coming out of your bra, put it means that you can be hands free! Be sure that you measure properly and order the correct flange size for you.

Ceres Chill Breastmilk Chiller

Another breastfeeding and traveling essential is the Ceres Chill breastmilk chiller. It can hold up to 24 ounces of breast milk for over 20 hours. I used this after using my Haaka or Spectra S1 breast pumps. I would grab ice from the restaurant or the hotel and use to keep my milk cold until I could get to a refrigerator or use it. This was a fantastic invention, and I highly recommend this item while traveling! I also used this while on a 1 night away stay from my baby.

Breast Milk Storage Bags

If you are planning to pump, you may also need breast milk storage bags. I would use these mainly at home, but also when traveling to visit family. I would use my Haaka pump in the morning to obtain extra milk for baby to use at a later date. I would then store it in these Lansinoh storage bags in my family’s freezer. It was great because I knew we would be back in a few weeks time and we would already have

Bottle Feeding while Traveling

Bottles

In the very beginning, I rarely used baby bottles. We would only use when I was traveling and away from baby. Because my primary method of feeding was breastfeeding, I really wanted to find a bottle that mimicked breast feeding. My favorites are Philips Avent and Como Tomo. My baby loved both of these too!

Travel Soap

If you are primarily breastfeeding, you may not have a need for travel soap because there’s nothing to wash! I found that if I was away from baby and needing to pump, that meant I had pump parts and bottle parts that needed to be cleaned. I used Dapple Baby bottle and dish liquid soap in the 3 ounce size which is perfect for the carry-on bags.

Travel Drying Rack with Bottle Brush

Of course if you have things to wash, you need a brush and a place for items to dry. I liked this OXO travel size drying rack with bottle brush. It was simple and easy to pack up. I liked the full size brush that could be taken apart into 2 pieces for storage. I tried other bottle brush sets, but they had too many brushes in my opinion. This one was simple and got the job done!