Cpap and breast pump bag for travel?

[catbirdgirl]

This may be a weird question.

Are there any bags that are designed as an efficient carryon for a cpap and a breast pump at the same time? I'm a nursing mom taking a week long trip and while I can carry them as medical bags on the airline I dearly need to be more organized and carry them together if possible. Bonus if they can also hold diaper bag essentials as well.

I'm a little overwhelmed by all the gear I will need to take for baby and I really don't want to check my cpap or my breast pump.

Let me know asap.

[Julie]

Are you kidding?

The percentage of people here who'd need such a bag is likely tiny so I bet you can get creative with other bags you have around.

Cpap stuff is allowed as a carry-on anyway along with your regular carry-on.

[rohdej]

I would look into some sort of camera bag with the adjustable dividers. But Measure your equipment so you know what volume bag you will need.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I1 ... _i=3346201

[catbirdgirl]

No I am not kidding!

I figured that with how knowledgeable people are here they might have good ideas.

I don't care how rare this is... with the incidence of sleep apnea in the general population why would it be that rare!
If I can find a good cpap case that is designed to be a travel bag and incorporate other fragile items it would be perfect.

I'm certain you didn't INTEND to be rude, but I think I asked a reasonable question.

[Julie]

You said yourself it might be weird, and I confirmed that.

I mean seriously? How many 'any'things are designed with breast pumps in mind (besides breast pumps)?

[Gryphon]

If both your bags are small you may be better off just putting them both in a soft nylon sling bag. That way you still have them both but one set of handles to carry instead of two. Also if they need to inspect it's easy to just pull the bags out of the larger bag and let them look. The bag I'm thinking of would be one of those supper soft nylon bags you get for grocery shopping that folds up into a tiny little pouch that could fit in your pocket, weighing a few oz.

I know CPAP equipment is exempt. I suspect that the breast pump equipment is also exempt but i'm not 100% sure. I also think you get some sort of allowance for a diaper bag for your child.
I know carrying that much "Shtuff" through an airport is stressful to the max but sometimes you gota do it. I've regularly traveled with two med sized carry ons and a cpap bag. one carry on was my photography backpack and the other was my laptop back pack. I had a system were everything fit with out taking more then my fair share. The photography bag combined with my cpap fit in the overhead bin and only took up the space of one standard carry on. The other back pack went under the seat in front of me. Though sometimes I had to explain to the flight people that it would work as they would eye me and my stuff doubtfully. When your going through the airport with a backpack on your front and a pro photo backpack on your back and a cpap bag slung over your shoulder dragging a full sized suit case behind you - you do feel like your going to collapse under the weight.

My sister has been traveling with her child as well and from listening to her describe the experience I think she needs to hire a Sherpa full time. I don't know how parents do it. You have my utmost respect for that.

Given the strictures covering medical equipment exemption. You need to be careful about combining bags and putting other "Non Exempt" items in your bags that could allow some overzealous TSA agent or Flight person to rule your bag Non exempt and make you pay for it or check it. Or unpack all "Non Exempt" items from the medical bags. If you don't have somewhere to put that stuff readily available you'll find your self in a very unpleasant position.

Example pulled from my head. Take your CPAP bag - it's medical exempt from carry on rules... now put a bunch of items in your cpap bag that don't have anything to do with your cpap... your now in danger of getting caught out on trying to game the system.

You could try and find a bag that would allow you to carry your cpap and breast pump all in one. My recommendation would be to look at photography bags, but you may be looking at even more weight and hassle given it's now not the medical bag that came with your equipment etc. Also the extra added space may give you too much temptation to pack things that would clearly not be medically related and so may run you afoul of the airline if they want to be mean about it.

If you combine medical bags - make sure your only packing medical things in the new bag - also get some sort of medical ID Tag for your bag.

I wish you the best of luck with finding something that works for you and safe travels as you fly.

Gryphon

[knothead]

This may be of interest, might work for what you ask....


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Large-C ... 1690360343

[chunkyfrog]

I would lean toward something very light in weight.
The nylon parachute material would work, but even a good mesh laundry duffel might work,
while alliwing clear view for nervous airline employees.
I would avoid any heavy bags, as you are hauling enough already.

[Gryphon]

Ya... Most photography bags are going to offer good protection but all that extra structure and padding ads bulk and weight. Only reason I would recommend it is to protect your stuff from bumps and the unexpected things that happen when you travel. But it's going to be heavy and bulky. The bags your stuff already comes in came with padding. I know my cpap travel case has padding in it to help keep my stuff safe. I didn't want you to just pack all your stuff lose in a different kind of bag so recommended the photo bag.

I think your better off keeping the bags you have that were designed specifically to protect your equipment. Put all those bags in a large parachute duffel that can be compacted down to nothing when not in use.

[Cardsfan]

For the child's diaper bag - check with the individual airline, their carry on rules can vary by airline. What airline are you flyiing? Does the child have a paid ticket? The carry on allownce for the child's luggage will be dertimed by the class of ticket the booking is under for the child's seat. In some airlines, if the child flies free because of age, the child does not have a luggage allotment.

For the medical exempt items, the TSA sets the rules, not the individual airlines. http://Www.tsa.gov. When you put non medical exempt items in a bag along with medically exempt items, that bag does not have exempt status. It can be taken away from you and gate checked.
If you do not want to separate from your cpap, definately pack it in a way it is self contained, like you could pull it out of a bigger bag and keep it with you in it's own if the bigger bag gets gate checked.

[nanwilson]

How about a kids nylon back pack, its small but can carry lots of stuff. You can carry the baby and wear the backpack, the airline staff should help you take it off and on so that you can navigate easily and have it pass through the x-ray machine and be checked if needed.
Good luck
Nan.

[Gryphon]

Something like these?

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/73 ... 0d198d.jpg

http://bloggingbabiesandthebayou.com/wp ... Travel.jpg

These are back packs that should hold a lot of stuff but fold down to a very small pouch when not in use.

https://www.propper.com/propperr-packable-backpack.html

Also have duffles as an option.

There lots of other possible bags out there that may help. I'd just pack your medical bags in the bigger bag to carry.

[Guest]

I can tell you what I do and have done ever since using cpap.

I use the carry-on style bag w/wheels that you see flight attendants using. I put my cpap and anything to do with using the cpap in along with any medicines I have (medicine and medical supplies do not count against carry-on - I don't know about baby supplies but that may not matter just as long as you have what you need with you).

I like that is has wheels and if I have a bag w/o wheels (in my case a laptop - yours could be a diaper bag?) I use a bungy cord to tie it on top so I only have one thing to hold. You don't need an overly padded bag IMO as you will be the one handling it. You may already have a carry-on size bag on wheels, so just make use of that.

Whatever you use be sure to put your name on the outside and inside along with a cell #.

A medical tag is not required or necessary.

Always travel with a spare mask, filters, tape, super glue, etc. Some things you can get at a Dollar $tore.
I have spares so once home everything but the cpap stays in the bag. I do have a spare cpap too but when/if you are in compliance your use needs to be on the insurance machine.

HTH