Pump parts

[@llli*apifera]

Should the milk collection bottles and parts of the pump be sterilized with every use? Every day? I am renting the hospital Medela Symphony and I have not been sterilizing the parts, but washing them between uses and leaving the shield and parts that attach to it in the fridge between pumps and washing those once or twice a day. Am I not doing enough to keep them clean?

Also, does it make sense to start using the bags rather than the 70 ml bottles that came with the pump? They're annoying and long, but the bags seem really expensive for something that can't be reused. I am also reusing a bra I cut holes in so that it's "handsfree" so I can feed the baby when I pump when daddy isn't around. I'm sure THAT isn't sterile, but it seems like some people recommend you treat the whole process with gloves and an autoclave.

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

What you're doing sounds absolutely fine. Definitely no need to sterilize every time.

Whether to use bags or bottles - up to what is more convenient and financially makes sense.

[@llli*apifera]

I'm starting to need to change out the left one mid pump, so I do need something larger. Maybe just a few more of the fatter, shorter five oz bottles would do the trick. Can you reuse the disposable bags?

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

I agree, you can try the five oz bottle. I haven't tried re-using the disposable bags, but I suppose you could wash them out. But I don't know how many times you could wash them without getting a hole - you don't want to letdown only to discover you have a tiny hole in the bag that your milk is leaking out of!

ETA: That's great that the 70 ml bottle is too small!

[@llli*apifera]

Yup, getting there.

I'm still not making 30 ozs a day, but I sometimes need to change out the container so it's progress.

I probably need to take a few days and power pump a bunch because my supply was getting up to 29 ozs a day and went back down as low as 21 yesterday, but I think, I -hope- it's because baby latched more yesterday.

[@llli*auderey]

but I think, I -hope- it's because baby latched more yesterday.

and yeah, what you're doing as far as cleanign pump parts sounds just fine. i probably sterilized mine (boiled) once every month or two when they got to looking cruddy to me. i think most people pump into 4 (5??) oz bottles and then transfer into bags if it's going to get frozen, at least that's what i did. the expensive bags are, what, 30 cents each? way cheaper than formula. i wouldn't reuse them because plastics break down and leach, not to mention get leaks.