A close friend of mine was at a breastfeeding support group recently and was told that many moms see a dip in their milk supplies when traveling with their babies. My friend speculated that this may be a reaction to the stress of traveling with an infant. I told her I would look into this, since I couldn't fathom why traveling would make a mom's milk supply decrease. A mom's milk supply could surely decrease when traveling WITHOUT her infant, but why WITH her infant? After some internet and article searching, I couldn't find any scientific reasons that would cause this phenomenon. But, since a few moms have seen this happen, I thought I would offer some advice on how to make sure that this doesn't happen to you.
5 WAYS TO MAINTAIN YOUR MILK SUPPLY WHEN TRAVELING WITH AN INFANT
1. If traveling by plane, nurse your baby during take-off, landing, and turbulents. This will relieve the pressure in your baby's ears, thereby relieving your stress level.
2. Keep to your baby's regular feeding schedule. If this means you will have to nurse in public, practice before you go on your trip so that you are confident and comfortable. A baby wrap is a great way to nurse discreetly in public.
3. If you plan to go out and have someone else watch your baby, pump before you leave so that you are not full and uncomfortable while away from your baby. A hand pump should suffice for this moderate use.
4. Some babies have a difficult time sleeping away from home, so plan to take a few naps during your trip, so that you can make up for some lost sleep during those restless times.
5. Don't plan too many activities during your trip. Try to keep your stress level down, which will preserve your milk supply, making for a happier, more content baby....maybe even a rested and relaxed mommy!
Happy travels!