Milk Stork Takes the Stress out of Pumping and Traveling

By Emily Ramirez, Parenting Writer & Mom of Two

Last updated: January 2026

Traveling for work while breastfeeding is incredibly challenging – from building a milk stash before you leave to safely transporting pumped milk home. During my own business trips as a nursing mom, I dealt with TSA confusion, worried about spoilage, and even had to pump and dump when logistics failed. If you're facing similar struggles, Milk Stork is a service worth knowing about.

What Is Milk Stork?

Milk Stork is a breast milk shipping and transport service designed for working mothers who travel. Instead of pumping and dumping or navigating TSA complications with your own cooler, Milk Stork provides medical-grade coolers and prepaid shipping labels to get your breast milk home safely.

How Milk Stork Works

Here's what the service offers based on their process:

Before Your Trip:

Order your kit online at least 5 business days before departure
Milk Stork ships the cooler directly to your hotel (shipping and handling fees apply)

What's Included:

Medical-grade cooler with evaporative cooling technology
Lansinoh breast milk storage bags
Detailed packing instructions
Pre-paid FedEx Priority Overnight shipping label (Pump & Ship option) or TSA-approved tote bag (Pump & Tote option)

During Your Trip:

Pump as usual in your hotel room or workplace lactation space
Store milk in provided bags and pack according to instructions
Activate the cooling pack when your cooler is full

Getting Milk Home:

Pump & Ship: Drop off at any FedEx location for Priority Overnight delivery to your baby
Pump & Tote: Carry the TSA-approved cooler through airport security and onto your flight

The coolers maintain refrigeration temperatures for 60-72 hours depending on which service you choose.

Milk Stork Options and Pricing (2026)

Pump & Tote (Carry-On Coolers):

34 oz capacity: $79
72 oz capacity: $99

Pump & Ship (Includes FedEx Priority Overnight):

34 oz capacity: $139
72 oz capacity: $159

Surrogacy Bundles:

Starter or single shipment kits: $200–$300
Mid-sized, recurring shipments: $300–$500

Note: The 34 oz capacity holds approximately one day's milk supply, while 72 oz holds approximately two days' supply. Prices do not include the initial shipping and handling fee to get the cooler to your location.

What Storage Bags Work Best?

According to Milk Stork's guidelines:

Recommended:

Lansinoh bags (included with kit)
Nuk bags
Up & Up bags

Not Recommended:

Medela bags (reduce storage capacity)
Kiinde bags (reduce storage capacity)

The bag choice matters because it affects how much milk fits safely in the cooler.

The Hidden Savings: Check Your Employee Benefits

Before you pay out of pocket, check with your HR department. Many employers now offer Milk Stork as a fully covered employee benefit for business travel. This is becoming increasingly common as companies recognize the importance of supporting nursing mothers who travel for work.

If your company doesn't currently offer it, consider presenting it as a business case – it's a medical necessity that enables employees to travel for work while maintaining their breastfeeding goals.

Is Milk Stork Worth the Cost?

When It Makes Sense:

Your employer covers it as a benefit (always check first!)
Multi-day business trips where you're pumping significant volume
High-stakes trips where losing milk to TSA or spoilage would be devastating
International travel where carrying breast milk is complicated
Infrequent travel where the per-trip cost is manageable

When to Consider Alternatives:

Short overnight trips (a quality personal cooler may suffice)
Frequent travel without employer coverage (costs add up quickly at $79-159+ per trip)
Tight budgets without reimbursement options
Simple domestic flights where you're comfortable managing carry-on coolers yourself

What Makes This Different from DIY Solutions?

Having traveled with breast milk using my own coolers and ice packs, I know the anxiety that comes with it. You're constantly wondering: Is it cold enough? Will TSA give me problems? What if my flight is delayed?

Milk Stork addresses these specific pain points:

Temperature confidence: Medical-grade coolers designed specifically for breast milk with 60-72 hour cooling capacity
TSA clarity: Their Pump & Tote option is explicitly TSA-approved
Shipping option: Eliminates airport stress entirely with FedEx Priority Overnight
Peace of mind: Everything is designed for this exact purpose, not adapted from a lunch cooler

That said, it comes at a premium price compared to bringing your own cooler and ice packs – especially when you factor in the initial shipping fee to get the cooler to you.

Understanding the True Cost

Let's break down what you're actually paying for:

For a 3-day trip using Pump & Ship (72 oz):

Base service: $159
Initial shipping to your hotel: Additional fee (varies)
Total cost per trip: $159+

For frequent travelers (4 trips per year):

Without employer coverage: $636+ annually
With employer coverage: $0

This math makes the employer benefit conversation even more important. Even if your company only partially subsidizes the cost, it can make the service significantly more accessible.

My Tips for Traveling While Pumping

Based on my own travel experiences as a nursing mom:

Before you leave: Build a freezer stash and establish your pumping schedule weeks in advance
Check benefits first: Ask HR about Milk Stork coverage before your trip – don't assume it's not available
Pack smart: Bring extra pump parts, storage bags, and a backup manual pump – I learned this the hard way when my electric pump died mid-trip
Know your rights: The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to provide reasonable break time and private space for pumping
Scout locations ahead: Call your hotel and workplace ahead of time to confirm private pumping spaces
Understand TSA rules: Breast milk is exempt from the 3.4 oz liquid rule —you can bring full bottles through security, though not every TSA agent seems to know this
Frame it as business-critical: When requesting reimbursement, emphasize that this enables you to travel for work while maintaining your medical needs

The Reality of Business Travel While Nursing

Let me be honest: No service can make pumping while traveling easy. You're still going to be ducking out of meetings to pump, hauling equipment through airports, and coordinating your schedule around your body's needs.

But services like Milk Stork can remove one major stressor, which is getting your milk home safely. Whether that's worth $139-159+ per trip depends on your budget, your company's policies, and your personal anxiety levels around milk loss.

The fact that many employers now cover this as a benefit signals an important shift: companies are recognizing that supporting nursing mothers isn't just nice to have, it's essential for retaining talented employees who happen to be breastfeeding.

The Bottom Line

Milk Stork solves a specific, real problem for traveling, pumping mothers. If you've ever stood in an airport bathroom dumping ounces of liquid gold down the drain because you couldn't figure out logistics, you understand the value proposition here.

Start by checking with your employer because you may be able to use this service at no cost. If you're paying out of pocket, weigh the $79-159+ per-trip cost against the peace of mind and convenience it provides.

Is it expensive without employer coverage? Yes. Does it make pumping while traveling easy? No. But it does eliminate the very real stress of transporting breast milk safely, and for some moms on some trips, that peace of mind is worth every penny.

About the Author: Emily Ramirez is a parenting writer and mom of two who has navigated the challenges of breastfeeding while working and traveling. She shares practical, honest advice to help other parents manage the realities of modern parenting.

Related: The Mile-High Milk Club: A Guide to Flying With Breastmilk