Are you flying with your baby or toddler soon and wonder how you can bring breastmilk, formula and snacks through TSA and onto the plane with you? We were flying for the first time when our daughter was still a baby and I very well remember how stressed I was about how to fit all liquids she needs into 3.4 ounces containers and place those inside only one clear quart-size plastic bag.
Luckily I’ve learned that there are exemptions in place for liquids when flying with your little one. Here is everything you need to know about how to pass TSA with breast milk and other liquids and I even share a bonus tip at the end of this post.
And if you would like to see more visual tips and tricks on how to make traveling with babies and toddlers easier, make sure to follow us on Instagram @ellafamilytravel.
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Breast milk and formula
Unlike shampoo and other liquids, you can carry more than the 3.4oz or 100ml of breast milk and formula in your carry-on. The reason for that is that these are considered medically necessary liquids. As a retired pumping mom I can also tell you that you can bring your pumped milk through security even if your baby is not with you.
Ice, freezer and frozen gel packs as well as other accessories required to cool formula or breast milk are allowed in your carry-on, too.
Snacks, Water and Juice
What really surprised me at the beginning of our travel journey with baby is that you can also take snacks, water and juice within “reasonable limit” inside your carry-on. What does “reasonable limit” mean? Typically it refers to the quantities to satisfy babies needs for the duration of the flight. We love to bring a snack container with different snacks like dried fruits, cereals, crackers, granola bars and cookies as well as several food pouches with us. Please consider if you want to take yogurt, peanut butter or jams, those fall under the 3-1-1 rule and need to be placed inside 3.4 ounces containers and fit into a quart-sized bag.
Medicine
You can carry your child’s medication like Tylenol, Motrin or others in unlimited amounts through TSA as well. I do recommend placing everything in a plastic bag if possible to make it easier when going through security. You may also bring gel or liquid-filled teethers.
How to pass TSA with breast milk and other liquids?
When going through security make sure to remove babies liquids from your carry-on bag to be screened separately. I always recommend to clarify to the TSA agent beforehand that those liquids are for your baby/toddler. Besides running everything through the x-ray machine they most likely want to perform an additional screening on some liquids. How does that look like? They normally pull you aside and ask you to open the container e.g. a thermos with breast milk (I love the Ceres Chill) and they held a test strip over the opening for a vapor analysis. Please note that they would never place anything into the container itself, but I recommend to ask the agent to please change their gloves beforehand to minimize any contamination. After that, they move the strip to the side and apply a nontoxic solution to it to verify that it is nothing explosive or otherwise dangerous.
You have the right to decline opening your liquid containers, but please have in mind that this might lead to more extensive screening for you and your family in order to clear the liquids which is time consuming.
BONUS
If you are still unsure what liquids you are allowed to take with you can reach out to TSA via chat. I have done that several times and they reply back very quickly and give answers to all your questions. Follow this link for more information.
If this post was helpful to you or if you have more questions please leave a comment below. I also love to connect with other travel passionate parents over on Instagram @ellafamilytravel.
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