AFRICAN BOHEME | Traveling as a Family Breastfeeding as Travel Hack

Traveling as a family has its own unique set of challenges but throw a toddler into the mix and you’re on a totally new adventure. This year noon will be 3, she’s walking and talking questioning her existence and demanding more of me than I am ready to give on most Thursday’s. I cuddle her and giggle with her, we pick flowers and play peekaboo and yes we’re still breastfeeding. Everyone who knows me knows I’m breastfeeding I’m open about it and do it unabashedly. I’ve never had a negative experience or had someone request for me to cover or leave an establishment. Aside from all the stellar health benefits for me and my little our breastfeeding journey is still going strong because breastfeeding is the ultimate travel hack when traveling as a family.

More room For Cute Clothes

I don’t carry bottles or formula or a pumping apparatus’. Noon has never used a pacifier. In fact, I don’t even know how to prepare formula, a fact that was brought to my attention by my aunt 4 seconds before I was about to ruin my nieces feeding. My carrying these things means I travel light(er). Which means more space for packing matching mother-daughter outfits.

MOM TIP If you do use these things, bring them! Breast milk does not fall under the 3oz restriction, that applies to other liquids or gels, the TSA has in place. You are allowed to bring breast milk on an airplane the TSA considers breast milk, formula, and juice in the same category as liquid medicine. You are allowed to bring juice on an airplane as a breastfeeding mother.

Traveling as a Family? More Space on the Airplane

At the end of long-haul flights, I always have fellow passengers tell me Noon was such a delight. I attribute this of course to her sparkling personality and dazzling smile, but also in part to breastfeeding. She is nourished when she wants to sleep. Nourished when she wants to cuddle. Nourished when she’s feeling aggravated by something in her surroundings and doesn’t have the words to explain it. The skin to skin contact provided by breastfeeding does wonders on calibrating my mood I can only imagine what it does for a tiny human. I’m familiar, I’m close, all is right in the world. The same is true for long overland transit, she settles in latches on and can usually drift off to sleep in one country and wake up in the next country without missing a beat. Shifts in time zones or locations don’t faze her in the slightest.

TIP If you’re traveling solo with a lap infant, consider letting the person beside you know they might be glimpsing boob! If they’re not comfortable with it, talk to a flight attendant and arrange to have their seat moved. That way they’re not taken by surprise when the flight’s taking off, and you wind up with extra space to stretch out!

Breastfeeding, the ultimate toddler travel hack

Free VIP Lounges to take the load off

Most parts of the world account for traveling as a Family, and make special considerations for breastfeeding mothers. I have yet to see American establishments do so in such a complete way. Abroad I find there is a haven in every mall, a Mothers Lounge or Parent’ Room in every airport. The absolute best places to be a breastfeeding mother are in Muslim countries I’ve found. They want women to have the respect and dignity to feed your child so they provide lush accommodations to do so. These sanctuaries often have play spaces to entertain larger babies, lush recliners, changing tables, sinks and refrigerators.

Breastfeeding lounges are actually a travel hack that people rarely tap into even mothers who are not breastfeeding should use them as a refuge

The pumping lounge in Suria KLC in Kuala Lumpur is a breastfeeding mothers dream! It has one of these sanctuaries hidden in its bowels that’s absolutely divine, the doors have push-button doors so that toddlers can roam free even if mom is slightly distracted. There are three curtained private nursing rooms, a sink, water dispenser, diaper changing stations and a couple of armchairs if you find yourself in that part of the world in that particular mall the Parents rooms can be found on these floors.