Mum warns parents after airport security tries to bin her breastmilk

It can be nerve-wracking flying as a new mum – you worry about your baby crying or if other passengers will get annoyed, but sometimes there's no avoiding it.

If you've chosen to breastfeed the situation can become even more fraught as you aim to keep baby fed while mid-flight.

But, one mum has spoken out after claiming to have been told she couldn't bring pumped breast milk through airport security.

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But, in the UK – and on flights leaving the UK – you do have rights as a breastfeeding parent.

Lizzie, 30, from Leeds, claims that she faced a stressful situation when recently travelling, when she packed breastmilk in her bags.

She told travel experts at eShores: "They tried to reject my milk at security, saying it was more than 100ml. I had expressed three days in a row and nearly cried."

Anyone who has gone through the effort of pumping breastmilk will know it's no joke to be told to throw your supply in the bin; especially when your baby will still need to eat at the airport and on the flight!

However, baby food, formula and breast milk are all exceptions to airport security liquid rules.

The gov.uk website states: "When travelling with a baby you’re allowed to take enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the journey.

"There is no legal limit to how much you can take however check with your airport before you travel."

It added: "You can carry breast milk in hand luggage even if you’re not travelling with a baby. You cannot carry frozen breast milk in hand luggage.

"Individual containers of breast milk must hold no more than 2,000ml. Each container will need to be screened at the security point."

Travel pros eShores noted: "Before you travel, double check the rules surrounding baby milk and be prepared when you arrive at security.

"The UK allows you to carry on breastmilk for your baby, but it can’t be frozen.

"Lizzie was asked to place each bag of milk in its own security bin (16 bins in total!), which she was not prepared for.

"She even had to pull up the UK’s baby milk policy to ensure it didn’t get counted as liquids, and therefore binned if it was over the quota.

"If you’re packing formula, you can also order ahead of time and collect it from a Boots store inside the terminal, once you’ve passed through security."

And, you're allowed to breastfeed in public according to UK law so shouldn't have to cover your chest with a blanket or jacket.

One mum claims she was shamed over breastfeeding on the plane.

Priya, 27, revealed: "A male flight attendant threw a blanket at me while I was breastfeeding and said it was to make me ‘more comfortable.’"

The NHS website states: "It is illegal for anyone to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public place, such as a cafe, shop or public transport.""

If you're worried, check your airline carrier's policy and have it to hand – that way if anyone makes a fuss you can alert the flight attendants to the issue or reiterate their own airline's policy to them.

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