I've had women pump during long separations. Two flight attendants come to
mind; one worked the North American east coast to Asia route, which
necessitated her being away 7 days at a time. She carried an electric pump
with her and had hilarious stories about rushing through customs on arrival
so she could get to her hotel and pump. No time to do much pumping while on
duty. She didn't keep the milk (she stored milk while home, though). She
breastfed for almost two years. (One of my favorite stories: all flight
attendants at her airline were required to attend a two day training
program. During one break she was still pumping when the class reassembled.
When asked where she was one of her male colleagues said, "Sir, she is
expressing herself.")

One executive who rented a pump from me was on the road regularly (away from
her baby for a week at a time). She FED EX'd  her milk home on dry ice
every few days. She even asked the hotel concierges to pack it up for her
(the stories they must tell!) Our nursing mother group members used to kid
her about mailing her milk "express."

One of my clients commutes 4 hours on AMTRAK (US railroad) to work three
days a week and for several months has pumped in her seat. She has never had
so much as a mean stare from anyone. (Boston to New York City and
back...)

Where there is a will there's a way. This sort of experience is not always a
bed of roses. Often women find their supply takes a dip after a few weeks.
And sometimes the baby balks about returning to breastfeeding. Still, I'm
humbled by the commitment many women make to providing their milk for their
infants -- and cheered by the success many women make of a difficult
situation.

Margery Wilson, IBCLC