icedancer

We will be bringing 8-week-old TinyDancer on her first flight this coming Thursday (LAX-PHL nonstop on US), and have a question...

Are ice packs that are used with cooler bags (either real ice or other chemicals in frozen block form) are permitted through security? We would like to bring some premixed formula with us so that we don't have to buy bottled water airside and fumble with mixing formula powder on the plane or in the airport.

FWIW, we only give baby organic formula, which doesn't come in single-serving-size ready-mixed containers like the non-organic varieties -- otherwise, we'd probably just bring that.

I saw on the TSA website that breastmilk is allowed through security. I know that pumped breastmilk has a fairly long shelf-life outside of refrigerator, but presumably most parents would like to keep it refrigerated anyway, for maximum safety's sake....but the website didn't say anything about what was permitted in regard to refrigeration.

CDTraveler

FWIW breastmilk, the ultimate "organic formula," has about a one hour shelf-life outside refrigeration according to most medical sources.

Jon Maiman

We have brought a small soft side "bottle" cooler with blue ice through security many times. We just open it so the blue ice, the milk, the juice and other gels are easily visible. Once or twice we had the TSA question it, but we asked for a supervisor and then were let through. Bottom line, as long as you have a reasonable quantity of stuff with a commensurate amount of blue ice, you should be fine. As always use the Golden Rule. If the TSA does happen to question you, be very polite but firm.

--Jon

P.S. My daughter is now 2.5 half years old and she has flown on 5 or 6 roundtrips (longest trip was PIT to LIH, 3 segments each way). So our experience is based on roughly 20 segments.

themicah

We've also carried on breastmilk, yogurt and regular cow's milk with a reusable ice pack several times. Never had a problem as long as we took it out of the carryon and opened it to show the TSA what was inside.

Like Jon said, as long as you have a reasonable amount of liquid with an appropriate amount of ice packs, you should be fine. Oh, you'll probably want to have a baby with you, too, of course.

6rugrats

Yes, this is allowed, and you can find this on tsa.gov:

When traveling with your infant or toddler, in the absence of suspicious activity or items, greater than 3 ounces of baby formula, breast milk, or juice are permitted through the security checkpoint in reasonable quantities for the duration of your itinerary, if you perform the following:

Separate these items from the liquids, gels, and aerosols in your quart-size and zip-top bag.
Declare you have the items to one of our Security Officers at the security checkpoint.
Present these items for additional inspection once reaching the X-ray. These items are subject to additional screening.

Frozen gels/liquids are permitted if required to cool medical and infant/child exemptions.

jsnydcsa

I'm starting to wonder what "reasonable" means for the 16 hour flight between IAD and JNB for our six-month old (breastmilk). Reasonable amount of milk and reasonable amount of blue ice packs (for the 1-3 hour air-side wait at IAD, we can get ice once on the plane).

Also, having flown back from SA on numerous occasions on U.S.-bound flights and going through the jetway searches, I wonder if the rent-a-cop security checkers at JNB on the return will have even a clue about these exceptions to the rule. I've had stuff seized from my regular 1 quart bag b/c the ziplock couldn't completely close and I mean 95% of the zipliock "zipped."

icedancer

Gosh, thanks. I looked all over the website and somehow I missed that.

icedancer

According to this website:

"Freshly expressed breastmilk may be kept at room temperature for up to 10 hours (colostrum or milk expressed within 6 days of delivery can be stored 12 hours at room temperature)."

I have heard from other sources (i.e. lactation consultants) that it will keep for 4 hours at temps above 72 degrees fahrenheit and for 10-12 hours at temps below 72.

CDTraveler

Well, it's a matter of which web site you choose to believe, I guess. Google search turned up recommendations anywhere from 1 hour to 10 hours. The safety guidelines in the hospital where I worked for many years dictated that breastmilk which had been at room temperature for more than 1 hour be tossed - and those guidelines were written jointly by the infection control team and the lactation consultants.

But it's your baby and your risk to assume. Just pack a whole lot of extra diapers if you're going to leave milk or formula sitting out that long.

LAX

As far as ice packs are concerned, does it have to be the blue ice packs or can I use frozen bottled water for chilling purposes? TIA.

LAX

oldpenny16

I don't know about frozen bottles of water, I often use frozen grapes to cool items I need to take on board. Grapes stay frozen for a long time and then you can eat them.

icedancer

Presumably the main reason a mother would be pumping in the hospital is to feed a baby in the NICU that can't be latched on (please correct me if I'm wrong). In that case, it doesn't surprise me one bit that the doctors/LCs err on the side of extreme caution. These babies are likely even more immune-compromised and/or sensitive to GI irritants than the average baby. The "average" healthy baby can probably tolerate a fair bit more than the NICU babies. I'm not going to go out of my way to test the extremes, but my baby has not had any problems with breastmilk left out 2-3 hours at room temperature. Formula is an entirely different matter, and that's why I'm concerned about keeping it sufficiently cool on the plane.

CDTraveler

Yes, your assumption is wrong. I was not speaking about the NICU at all, nor is that where I worked. The policy I wrote about was for babies ouside the NICU who were admitted for a wide range of problems - orthopedic, respiratory, cardiac and so on - rarely conditions involving the immune system. The milk protection techniques required and used in the NICU went far beyond simple refrigeration.

icedancer

An update, for those interested: Just got back from flying 6 segments with TinyDancer, and nobody at security in LAX (twice), PHL, MIA, or STL bothered to even open the cooler bag containing the formula to see what was in it or how it was being cooled. Apparently, I could have taken bottles full of plain water through security (had I so chosen) and mixed the formula on the plane as it was needed. Only the first time I passed through LAX did anyone even ask what was in the bag. Needless to say, I was surprised.

LAX

I assume you placed the cooler bag through the x-ray machine, right?

LAX