Hello Moms! I will be traveling back to Massachusetts with my 4 month old daughter and would like to ship some frozen milk. My parents love doing my daughter's night feeding, and it will take me a few days to get enough pumped milk (from pumping in between feedings) to make a few bottles. Since I'm only going to be there two weeks, I thought I might ship some of my frozen milk. Has anyone done this before? I'm wondering what is the safest way and if it will be worth it. Thank you!
Most moms suggested to pack the milk with dry ice, and ship it via FedEx or UPS. Check out the article for more advices.
Thank you so much for the advice about shipping breast milk. I was able to send 7 packages of frozen breast milk on dry ice (that I had purchased at HEB). I sent it UPS from Southern Texas at 5 pm, and it arrived at 10 am in Massachusetts! It was pretty amazing. It cost about $85, but well worth it. I was able to go out with my family and baby and have bottles ready. I didn't worry about pumping to make sure I had more bottles.
There is a carrier that will ship dry ice (either UPS or FedEx) and that will keep it frozen for the overnight trip up to MA...HEB sells dry ice as well! Good luck and safe travels!
I would check with UPS or FedEx. They will have to be the carrier. I'm certain that they have protocal for this as they ship organs quite often. They should have proper refrigeration shipments. Good luck.
I don't know how long your flight is, but you might look into carrying it with you in a freezer bag.
A bunch of my surrogate mom friends have shipped breast milk across the country!
Get a small ice chest (six-pack size, with a flat top {easier for shipping)) and fill it with your frozen breast milk (in their storage baggies). Make sure that you measure the ice chest before finding a box. Then, they just ship it Fed-Ex overnight (in the cooler, in the box). It usually gets anywhere you want in the US before 5pm the following day and, since it's still frozen in the cooler, you're good. The grandparents can just put the bags in the freezer and they'll keep till you get there. Good luck.
Dear SW,
Breast milk is safe to freeze. In saying this, you can find the storage bags for milk at Target. Freeze what you can and make a call to a UPS Store or Fedex. They have containers you can use to ship the milk in. You will need to use Dry Ice, I buy it at Kroger. Follow the directions from the shipping company for frozen Parrishable items. I ship to my daughter away at college. She always wants mom's cooking!! Best of luck and have a SAFE trip. Check out my web page for SAHM's if you get a chance! I promise you will learn alot about how to protect your daughter's health using all natural products including cleaners. You may find you would like to make a little extra cash too!! momsNcharge.com B.-Magnolia
I shipped breast milk to my best friend who had just adopted a baby about the same age as my boy. It is easy, but not cheap! Buy dry ice at your local grocery store - the packaging will give you directions on how much to buy based on how many hours it must stay frozen. Then pack it all in a styrofoam cooler and ship it overnight, or two-day air via FedEx or UPS. Both times it cost me about $40. But I think it was worth it.
Pack it in dry ice. Some Walmarts sell it. Krogers also sells it. Do not touch it with your hand or it will burn you. Wrap it in a air tight container, because air will make the dry ice disapear. So have the milk and container ready for the dry ice and ship it will last for days if air does not get to it.
Hi SW,
I breast fed my son for two years and it was very liberating to only have to throw a fiew wipes and dipers in my purse and go. Its not for everyone but was great for me and my son. There were times when I could not be with my son and found that the best alternative to breast milk is goats milk. The reason that goats milk is so much better than cows milk is that cows milk is formulated to grow a cow whitch is four or more times the size of a human and goats milk is formulated to grow a goat whitch is very close to the size of a human. (at birth and full grown) also the nutritional value is very close to breast milk. Try it! Its also a great alternative to formulas. If you can find it non pasturized its better if not its accesable in most grocery stores.
Good luck W.
Not sure why you need to ship the milk, are you unable to nurse? Could you not take a pump and pump while you are there? My understanding is if you heat breastmilk in the microwave, it loses a lot of its nutritional value...may not be worth it in the long run.
I just had to travel out of state for work for 2 1-wk periods. I was going to ship frozen milk, but realized that if it defrosted, I would have to dump it if not used in 24 hours. Rather than freeze it, I decided to take it w/ me (fresh) and freeze it when I got home. I put my milk in a flexible lunch box w/ ice packs and had no problems (I carried about 12 bags w/ me this way)...good luck
