Traveling with Infants

Traveling with an infant can be challenging, especially at mealtime. Planning and preparation are key ingredients for meeting a baby’s nutritional needs away from home.

When traveling with a baby, parents should be prepared with meals on the go, whether the baby is breastfed or formula fed, says Barb Dehn, a women's health nurse practitioner, award winning author and nationally known health expert. “Moms who breastfeed may find that traveling can interrupt feeding routines, but by bringing a shawl or sweater they can create privacy for nursing, if needed,” she says. “For formula-fed babies, a good option is ready-to-feed formula, which need not be refrigerated until opened. Or parents can fill baby bottles with premeasured sterilized water that can be mixed later with single-serve packets of powdered formula.”

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which normally permits no more than three ounces of liquid past security checkpoints, allows a mother to bring in more than three ounces of breast milk, even if she is traveling without her baby. The TSA (found at www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/formula.shtm) also allows more than three ounces of baby formula through security, but only for those traveling with a baby.

In addition, the TSA requires that you to:

Separate the breast milk or formula from the liquids, gels, and aerosols in your quart-size zip-top bag.

Declare the breast milk or formula to a security officer at the security checkpoint.

Offer the breast milk or formula for inspection at x-ray. You may be asked to open the container, but you or your child will not be asked to taste the contents.

According to Barb Dehn, close attention to food safety is important for parents when traveling with infants. She offers the following guidelines to help parents properly manage infant feeding when they are away from home:

Be sure to boil new bottles and nipples for five minutes before using them the first time. Also, wash them for one minute in hot, soapy water after each use.

Always wash your hands before preparing to feed the baby, so you won’t pass on germs.

When opening a can of formula, clean the lid and the can opener of dust or soil.

Securely seal ready-to-feed formula and put in a cooler within two hours of opening. Use the rest of the container within 48 hours of opening. (Be extra careful in a hot climate.)

Previously chilled bottles of formula should be discarded if left out of a cooler or refrigerator for more than an hour.

Discard any type of excess liquid in baby bottles to help avoid the growth of bacteria found in baby saliva.

Never feed your baby formula that has expired or formula from a dented container.

Never heat infant formula or bottled breast milk in the microwave.

Buy formula only from reputable retailers and not from on-line auctions or flea markets.

Whether you are going to see grandparents for the day or flying to a vacation spot, your baby will be happiest if kept on a schedule. “Babies do best when their routine is maintained, which can be difficult on vacation,” notes Dehn. “Try to follow familiar rituals, like dinner and a bath before bedtime, to help your young traveler adjust."