Country Singer Maddie Marlow Urges TSA To ‘Do Better’ After Infuriating Experience Traveling With Breast Milk

Maddie Marlow of the beloved country music duo Maddie and Tae had an infuriating and intrusive experience with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The “Heart They Didn’t Break” documented her experience at an airport on her Instagram Story today, and she — like far too many moms — was stopped for traveling with breast milk.

Now, before we get any further, let’s take a quick detour to the TSA’s website and their official policy on traveling with breast milk.

The government agency says that formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and other baby or toddler food (such as puree pouches) are allowed in carry-on baggage. And you can travel with more than the allotted 3.4 ounces which is standard for other liquids. Why is that?

Related story These Stylish Away Luggage Dupes Rival the Original & Start at Just $50

“[They] are considered medically necessary liquids,” the TSA site says.

Medically. Necessary.

The same goes for any cooling accessories (ice packs, freezer packs, and gel packs) regardless of the presence of breast milk. The child also does not need to be present for these things to be allowed. Why? Because moms need to have food available for their child(ren) when they land, and they can’t just stop pumping for the sake of the TSA.

Marlow is a proud mom to 5-month-old son Forrest Henry Font — whom she shares with husband Jonah Font — and was going through airport security with bags of breast milk. She posted a photo on her Instagram Story of said bags in the hands of a TSA agent and wrote, “TSA treats nursing moms like criminals haha” over it. It’s one of those “funny not funny” situations.

“I’m so saddened by TSA and their lack of protocol for a mom traveling with her breastmilk,” Marlow said. “I had to stand here for 20 minutes while he ‘inspected’ my food for my baby and the man was about to open one of my bags to test it until I demanded he not contaminate the milk for my baby.”

Granted! The site does say officers “may need to test the liquids for explosives or concealed prohibited items,” but the thought of opening the bags? EW! Marlow understandably refused — “Because airports are disgusting” — so they searched all her belongings.

“TSA please do better for moms just trying to feed their babies,” she concluded.

Because seriously, can’t there be a better way? We’ve seen this happen time and again where parents are stalled and interrogated for traveling with breast milk. And it always seems like there hasn’t been enough training about proper protocols. There’s a disconnect between the site and what’s happening at airports, and it’s entirely disconcerting.

Who Else Has This Happened To?

Keke Palmer

Last year, actress Keke Palmer took to Instagram to say she experienced “breast milk discrimination” at the airport. And this wasn’t just a matter of agents opening bags. They were threatening to chuck it.

“I should’ve popped my tit out right then because the discretion and comfort of pumping is thwarted with threats to throw out over 16oz my [baby Leo’s] food?!?!!!” Palmer said. “Why is that not a crime?? I’M A MOTHER for crying out loud 😩😢”

Shawn Johnson

In 2021, Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson alleged that she had “one of the worst experiences” when she tried to travel with breast milk.

“We as mamas have a duty to our babies and a right in this world to carry breast milk through security,” she said at the time. “Having [a TSA agent] public[ly] humiliate me in proving to you it was actually breast milk was against my rights. To then be groped and yelled at in public was excessive.”

“I know you were doing your job … but so was I,” she added.

Emily Calandrelli

Emily Calandrelli — host of Emily’s Wonder Lab — had a distressing experience of her own. In 2022, she wasn’t allowed to bring her ice packs through security because they weren’t fully frozen (Psst! That’s not a requirement per the TSA website.) and because her son wasn’t with her (Psst! Also not a requirement.).

“They escorted me out of line and forced me to check my cold packs, meaning I couldn’t pump before my flight for fear it would spoil,” she said. “I cried at the airport. I was embarrassed about having to explain breastfeeding to 3 grown men. I felt humiliated and emotional.”

“Emptying my breasts on a regular schedule and providing food for my child IS medically necessary (and especially impt with the current formula shortage!),” she continued. “…It is infuriatingly common to encounter TSA agents who don’t know the proper protocol around pumping and feeding babies – and it shouldn’t be this way … I’m furious and I won’t let them make me feel embarrassed for their lack of understanding and training and neither should you.”

Calandrelli turned this awful encounter into action and has been working with Congress to update the 2016 Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Act to address the issue and require more training for TSA agents about how to interact with parents traveling with breast milk.

Feeding little ones isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey, and these celebrity moms are advocating for extended breastfeeding.