Alyssa Milano Reflects On Airport Incident: “Watching My Milk Being Thrown Away Was Heartbreaking”

Last week, actress Alyssa Milano had her breast milk confiscated by the Heathrow Airport authorities. Now, she is reflecting on the incident and says watching them throw her milk away was “heartbreaking.”

As the Inquisitr previously reported, while on the plane, Alyssa pumped 10 ounces of breast milk for her daughter. However, because she did not have her baby with her, they took the milk and simply tossed it in the trash.

Obviously upset, Milano took to Twitter to voice her outrage.

“@HeathrowAirport just took my pumped breast milk away. 10 ounces. Gone. Not okay,” she tweeted. “They said they would let the pumped milk through if I had the baby with me. Why would I need to pump if I had the baby with me????”

“@HeathrowAirport Why can you test my toiletries to make sure they are safe but you have to throw away my breast milk?” Milano added. “I was told I would be fine if the baby was with me. Plus, it was less than 5 ounces per container. Why is my shampoo okay?”

Alyssa explained that she was willing to comply with the regulations set forth by the airport for liquids, but the authorities would not even discuss those regulations with her. She said they not only took her milk, but the cooler she was storing it in as well.

“Baby food or baby milk: This exception is only permitted if you are travelling with a baby or infant,” the Heathrow Airport website reads. “Please carry only what you need for your journey and, to assist security screening, please do not carry these items in a flask. If you are not travelling with a baby or infant, excess liquids should be carried as hold luggage. You may also wish to take advantage of our pre-order service for collection after security by calling us on 0800 678 5324 or email us.”

Milano has long been an advocate for breast feeding, and was genuinely hurt by the acts of the airport. In a statement to People Magazine, she explained that being able to breast feed her children has been one of the “greatest joys” of her life.

“I realize there are much larger issues going on in the world. And I don’t want to turn this into a bigger issue than it is but I will say this … breastfeeding my children has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” she said.

“Every ounce of milk I’m able to produce for my child is nothing short of a miracle and to watch that milk be thrown away without any regard for my baby, was heartbreaking. It’s not the fault of the security in the airport; they’re following orders to keep us all safe. But I do I feel it is a policy that needs thoughtful reconsideration. I’m glad this has started a dialogue. My only hope is to make things easier for moms, breastfeeding and formula feeding moms, everywhere.”