traveling with formula advice

[abseptember]

We are flying in a few weeks... about 2.5 hrs with the twins and L. What's the easiest way to take formula and make bottles? I'm thinking I have to buy water after we clear security, right?

[britbratjf]

Apr 10, 2015 6:36:55 GMT -5 abseptember said:

We are flying in a few weeks... about 2.5 hrs with the twins and L. What's the easiest way to take formula and make bottles? I'm thinking I have to buy water after we clear security, right?

I'm not 100% sure but generally if you are traveling with a baby I think you can bring the water you need. When I traveled with Dagny I had bottles of BM before she weaned and a sippy of regular milk and water when she was older.

[aimeefarrahfowler]

I have a divided formula dispenser that you can measure out the formula ahead of time for the size bottles you will need to make. I would just bring that and empty bottles and buy a bottle of water after I got through security. Or you could measure the formula straight into the empty bottles and add water when you want to mix it.

[britbratjf]

I found this on TSA website:

When traveling with an infant or toddler, passengers are also allowed to bring into the screening checkpoint more than 3.4 ounces of pre-mixed baby formula (in a powder, liquid, or frozen state); milk products; juice; gel or liquid-filled teethers; bottled water; and canned, jarred, processed baby food and essential non-prescription liquid medications. These items also must be declared to a TSO prior to entering the screening area, and the items must be separated from other property. These items will be subject to additional screening, and passengers may be asked to open a container if required by a TSO.

So it seems like you can bring your own bottled water. I would have the formula premeasured into the bottles of one of those formula containers.

[bliz1712]

I think there is still a limit to the amount of water you can bring, you just get to have a little more than other people. I just heard on the entertainment news of my radio station that they stopped Alyssa Milano and made her dump out 10oz of BM because it wasn't compliant, or she had too much. According to the website verbage above it doesn't say the max limit.

[britbratjf]

Apr 10, 2015 8:04:19 GMT -5 bliz1712 said:

I think there is still a limit to the amount of water you can bring, you just get to have a little more than other people. I just heard on the entertainment news of my radio station that they stopped Alyssa Milano and made her dump out 10oz of BM because it wasn't compliant, or she had too much. According to the website verbage above it doesn't say the max limit.

That was at Hethrow though (London) and the airport said it was UK government regulations that don't allow you to bring BM without the baby. US doesn't have that rule (I brought like 80 oz of BM back from a girls trip and had no issues).

[tribute17]

You can bring your own but I will warn you that I had to dump some. It wasn't because of limit. I had a bottle already made that he had started before security and I was going to finish on the plane. The security guy took it out of my bag unscrewed the cap, dipped in a swab (hopefully sterile but I didn't know) to test it and then screwed the lid back on. I wasn't going to give my baby that bottle anymore so I dumped it out. I had dry formula ready to go and bought a bottle of water. I would personally not make it until after security if that is at all possible just because of the extra steps you have to do. It probably totally depends on the airport but this happened to me in KC and Nashville.

I don't know what kind of formula you use but I bought the little packets like this. It was so much cleaner than the formula dispenser and took up less room in my bag. The ones I had made 4 oz. bottles.

www.amazon.com/Enfamil-Formula-Milk-Based-Count-17-6g-Packaging/dp/B003TN6ZN6

[bliz1712]

Apr 10, 2015 8:14:37 GMT -5 britbratjf said:

Apr 10, 2015 8:04:19 GMT -5 bliz1712 said:

I think there is still a limit to the amount of water you can bring, you just get to have a little more than other people. I just heard on the entertainment news of my radio station that they stopped Alyssa Milano and made her dump out 10oz of BM because it wasn't compliant, or she had too much. According to the website verbage above it doesn't say the max limit.

That was at Hethrow though (London) and the airport said it was UK government regulations that don't allow you to bring BM without the baby. US doesn't have that rule (I brought like 80 oz of BM back from a girls trip and had no issues).

oh, gotcha.  I just heard it while I was getting ready so I didn't hear all the details, just found it odd.  But why would you need to bring the BM back with a baby in tow anyway?  Seems like a backwards rule.

[abseptember]

Thanks for the advice! I'll try to time put feedings to make it easier.... or maybe they'll get us through faster if we have 2 screaming babies

Hethrow has the strictest security I've encountered while traveling (not baby related) so I'm not surprised about the issues she had. I agree the rule about BM there is backwards but she should expect to have to follow the same rules as everyone else. That said Hethrow should look into changing the rule.

[trixi282]

you can totally take bottles with premeasured water through security. DON'T waste your money buying water in the airport unless you run out!

I've gone through with 3 bottles each with water in them before. They just ask you to take them out of the diaper bag and typically request that you open them while they hold a testing strip over the bottle to check for vapors. It's super harmless. They do not touch the water, and they typically should not touch the bottles even, they have you do it.

tribute17, they should NEVER put anything into the liquid (water, formula, BM). They're supposed to hold the test strips above the opening of the bottle. A TSA agent told us one of the first times we ever flew that they should never actually touch the liquid.... I don't know who did yours but that's not cool to dip something into a baby's bottle!

[tribute17]

Apr 10, 2015 10:54:11 GMT -5 trixi282 said:

you can totally take bottles with premeasured water through security. DON'T waste your money buying water in the airport unless you run out!

I've gone through with 3 bottles each with water in them before. They just ask you to take them out of the diaper bag and typically request that you open them while they hold a testing strip over the bottle to check for vapors. It's super harmless. They do not touch the water, and they typically should not touch the bottles even, they have you do it.

tribute17, they should NEVER put anything into the liquid (water, formula, BM). They're supposed to hold the test strips above the opening of the bottle. A TSA agent told us one of the first times we ever flew that they should never actually touch the liquid.... I don't know who did yours but that's not cool to dip something into a baby's bottle!

I know I was shocked that they would do that.  But then I feel like you are stuck because if you argue too much or cause a scene then you don't get to fly or you get put on some list.  I never quite know how to handle that and it sucks because I feel like if you try to do something it makes you look suspicious.  Also, I would have totally talked to the manager but I feel like at the airport I'm always low on time especially when it was just me and the baby.  And then it happened to me twice so I thought it was standard procedure.  

[bantyrooster]

tribute17 that sucks! I have also flown with bm and never have they even told me to open it. They even got me free ice once! I would have wrote a letter or called after at least to inform them. Like pp they should never touch it.