Pump cleaning while at work

[@llli*randiocoy]

Ok so I leave my pump and parts at work mon-fri. This is how i clean. Is this OK??


1st pump 930 am. I pump and put my Milk in refridgerator. I leave out my extra oz to add to next pumping. I leave all parts unwashed and out.

2nd pump 1230pm I I pump and add to extra from morning to make 2nd bottle. I leave out fresh extra oz. and I wash out my pump parts with the medela quick clean wipes.

3rd pump 330pm I pump and make 3rd bottle with the extra oz. and my fresh pumped. I then take all my pump parts and bottles that i use and rinse them out and air dry for the next day.

after the day is done. I always end up with around 3 4 oz bottles give or take a couple oz. depending on how much she ate in the morning.

My questions are

do you think the Medela quick clean wipes are safe? I don't want them to leave chemicals in my milk. They say its safe, but they say that about GMO and pesticides too...

Do you think leaving my extra oz. out for 3 hours to add to fresh milk is ok?

Do you think I need to soap my pump parts every night?

i hate walking around my work with my pump parts as its awkard enough working with people that already think I am weird for pumping and nursing. I am the ONLY person at my work wiht a baby as well. Most of them don't have children or had kids in the 70's and formula fed or only BF for 6 weeks.

So i like to keep everything in the office i pump in. I keep my milk in fridge in a cooler so everyone thinks its my lunch box.

But I just want to make sure I am safe enough. I give my parts the sniff test and they pass that so I am assuming this is ok. ??

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

1) Medela wipes: I've used them on occasion, but how safe the chemicals are? Don't know. One would like to assume that if a product is made for cleaning pumping parts, it's safe... but I agree that one can never assume these things! Maybe call infant risk (InfantRisk.com) and ask them about the particular ingredients? They may have a more informed opinion.

2) Leaving the extra oz out for 3 hours: perfectly fine.

3) I personally do wash my pump parts in soapy water every night. Is this necessary? I have no idea. Would you drink milk from the same cup every day for five days without washing with soap and water? I think different people have different levels of comfort with that - just depends on how you feel about it. One piece of advice I've seen is, breast milk is a food, use common-sense food-handling methods. If you decide to go the washing route route, here's a suggestion from another mama on the forum that I thought was a good idea: invest in 5 sets of pump parts. Bring all 5 sets in on Monday. Use one a day. Take them all home on Friday and wash over the weekend. That way you don't have the daily grind of washing and transporting daily, but you can use a fresh set each day.

[@llli*iritita]

I use the Medela pump wipes too and so far they seem to work. They don't contain alcohol which I think is good. I never really second guessed the wipes. I pump twice a day at work. I pump then wipe down with the wipes and use them again for my afternoon pump. I then wipe them down again and take them home to be washed with soap and water. I noticed that if I only rinse with water they will leave a light greasy film on the parts. Does this happen to you?

[@llli*randiocoy]

yes I have noticed that!!! I have to really wipe them out. I think I better bring some soap to work to soap them. I do have a steam bag I use to sterilize once a week. But I think soaping them everday after my 330 pump will be easy enough. I just have to bring it. I wondered about the milk film. I stuff a towel in the bottles and the flanges and wipe wipe wipe to get rid of the film. The soap will probably be quicker!! LOL

[@llli*mercystreet]

1) 3) I personally do wash my pump parts in soapy water every night. Is this necessary? I have no idea. Would you drink milk from the same cup every day for five days without washing with soap and water? I think different people have different levels of comfort with that - just depends on how you feel about it. One piece of advice I've seen is, breast milk is a food, use common-sense food-handling methods.

I agree with this. Even though breastmilk stays good for longer than "regular" milk, it's still a food. Personally I throw my pump parts into my cooler (along with my containers of pumped milk) so they stay refrigerated, and I wash them with hot soapy water every night.

I've used the Medela wipes and keep a few in my pump bag for just-in-case times. But I don't love them. They have a funny smell that's off-putting to me, whatever cleanser is in them seems to bead up on the pump parts, and I feel like the inner parts of the valves and connectors just can't be reached with the wipes (as opposed to soaking in soapy water). I don't like the idea of milk residue souring inside the hard-to-reach parts. But if you feel like the wipes are effective then by all means use them. I would like to think that a reputable and industry-leading company like Medela would produce a safe product if it is coming into contact with your milk.

[@llli*MaeganAlberta]

I use the Medela wipes and I do think they are safe. Leaving your milk out for three hours is totally fine, too. I don't think you have to soap up every night, but if you're worried, you could rinse after the second session and use the wipes after the third in order to make sure they are clean overnight.? Or use a Medela microwave steam bag after rinsing. Having an extra set of parts like others have suggested helps me, too. I have one set of extras and if I don't have time to clean the parts or I want to clean them more thoroughly, I know I have an extra clean set at home in case I have a fussy baby and can't get to it.