Breastfeeding on a Plane: 7 Helpful Tips for New Mums

While you're out of your home, breastfeeding in public can be a stressful experience for you. Not only you’re required to find a good space, but also you have to maintain your privacy and comfort in public. And if you're breastfeeding on a plane at thousands of feet in the air, things become even worse because you’re stuck in a small space. In such a situation, following the best practices provided below ensures you a safe and cry-free flight.

Wear Loose, Comfy Clothing:

When you’re going to travel on a plane, wear something that is comfortable for both you and your baby. You can wear whatever you want; just make sure it allows easy and discreet access to your breasts so that you could get your baby properly latched on to your breast, without any difficulty. For example, you may wear a nursing bra under an easy access shirt.

Pack for the Plane:

To make nursing comfortable and convenient on the plane, be sure to pack everything you need during breastfeeding. Bring along a cover up of your choice to drape over baby, a few decent burp cloths to deal with spit-ups and burps, a lightweight feeding pillow for support and an extra shirt in case of leaks. Also, make sure you have enough diapers, wipes and change of clothes in your carry-on bag.

Reserve a Window Seat:

A cramped space is probably the worst part about breastfeeding while you’re traveling on a plane. To avoid this, we recommend you reserve a window seat in advance. Unlike a middle and aisle seat, a window seat not only gives you a little extra privacy and space for nursing but also keeps your little one from getting distracted by people going up and down the aisle.

Stay Well Hydrated:

When you’re flying at a height of 50,000 feet, you need to drink plenty of water to stay well-hydrated. That’s because the extremely dry cabin air makes you very dehydrated, which may affect your milk supply. As your baby is also likely to become dehydrated in the air, chances are he will want to breastfeed a little more than usual. Hence, you should drink as much water as possible.

Be Covered While Breastfeeding:

Whether you're breastfeeding at the airport or on the plane, the crowds can be very distracting to your little one. Also, you would definitely want to maintain your privacy and comfort on the plane. To achieve both, you can take advantage of a nursing cover that provides adequate coverage to your breasts as well as keeps your baby from getting distracted by others.

Try Breastfeeding during Take-off and Landing:

As the changes in air pressure during take-off and landing can cause your little one ear pain, it’s important for him to suck on something that could equalize the air pressure in his ears. Try breastfeeding your infant during these crucial times because the sucking motion releases ear pressure and minimizes his chance of experiencing ear pain.