Milk Stork Blog

7/13/23

Travel Tips, Pumping & Feeding

How Long You Can Travel with Frozen Breast Milk May Actually Surprise You

The general rule of thumb is that fresh breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. However, freezing breast milk extends its shelf life significantly, allowing you to preserve the safety and integrity of your breast milk. So, how long can you travel with frozen breast milk? The answer depends on two factors: how you’re traveling and the cooling options available to you. Let’s start by defining “frozen.” The CDC considers breast milk frozen as…

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12/22/22

Travel Tips, Pumping & Feeding

Flying Internationally with Breast Milk? Read This First

Between packing, securing visas, and navigating customs, international travel can be stressful for new and seasoned parents alike. Breast/chestfeeding parents have the added challenges of pumping on the go and transporting breast milk between countries. And to make things more complicated, every country has its own rules when it comes to flying with breast milk. Ultimately, these rules come down to: The quantity of milk you are traveling with The state of your milk (frozen or liquid) Whether or not…

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7/13/22

Travel Tips, Pumping & Feeding

Flying with Breast Milk? Here’s How to Prepare for a Stress-Free Trip

As we embark on a new post-pandemic reality, many of us are eager to leave our houses, unplug from Zoom, and hit the skies for summer vacation. If you gave birth during this unusual time, it may be baby’s first vacation and the first for you as a breastfeeding mom—so before you jetset, here’s what you need to know about flying with breast milk. 1. What is Actually Allowed to Be Carried On? Breast milk, formula, and juice are allowed…

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6/16/22

Family Health, Pumping & Feeding

Inclusive Lactation Support for LGBTQ Parents

At Milk Stork, we talk a lot about diversity, equity, and inclusion. It’s top of mind for the 870+ companies we work with that know breast milk shipping is more than just a “nice-to-have”—it can make a world of a difference for work travel or parents planning their return from parental leave. When it comes to inclusive family benefits, most people talk about fertility benefits and paid parental leave. But all too often, surrogacy and adoption are missing from the…

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5/23/22

Pumping & Feeding, Current News

What You Need to Know About Milk-Sharing During the Formula Shortage

In light of the formula shortage, more parents are turning to peer-to-peer milk sharing. The nutritional benefits of breast milk are unparalleled, but if you’re not careful, the risk of milk sharing may outweigh the benefits. Unlike milk banks, which conduct extensive health screenings on donors and serve fragile and ill babies most in need of human milk, peer-to-peer milk sharing is informal and unregulated. So, while it might be more accessible to parents, it is not without risk. Understanding…

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4/22/22

Pumping & Feeding

Finished with Pumping? How to Recycle Your Old Breast Pump

So you’ve decided to stop breastfeeding and you’re considering two options: let your breast pump sit and collect dust, or throw it out hoping that maybe some of the parts are biodegradable (spoiler: they aren’t!). Instead, consider these three environmentally-friendly tips to keep your conscience clear and your breast pump out of landfills. 1. Recycle Medela is one of the most popular breast pump brands on the market. Through its Medela Recycles program, you can ship your personal, electric Medela…

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4/5/22

Pumping & Feeding, Workplace Support, Employers

How to Create a Lactation Friendly Culture at Work

Pumping parents know a thing or two about stress, so this Stress Awareness Month, we want to help you make the transition back into the workplace as painless as possible. A New Mom’s Healthy Returns study revealed that 4 out of 5 employees want better breastfeeding support from their employer. Among the most important: having a flexible schedule upon returning to work and having breastfeeding benefits, such as breast milk shipping and space to comfortably accommodate multiple pumping moms. HR…

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3/2/22

Workplace Support

Your Lactation Rights: Get the Support You Need

It’s on all of us to normalize breastfeeding — whether you’re a brand new parent, a parent who pumped years ago, or an ally to the parent community — speaking out and supporting one another is key for a healthy and safe future. Now more than ever, a lack of lactation support is a growing concern as the pandemic wanes and workplaces begin to reopen. If you’re a pumping parent heading back to the office, it’s crucial to know your…

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1/3/22

Pumping & Feeding

10 Tips for Building Up Your Stash of Frozen Breast Milk

Whether you are stockpiling your breast milk in preparation for returning to work, traveling, or just for the security of having a backup milk supply, here are our ten tips to help you build up your freezer stash while you are nursing. Pump in the morning when your supply is at its highest. After your baby is fully fed, continue to pump off extra milk for another 10–15 mins — it will add up! Stay consistent with your pumping— going…

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