I've been trying to figure out the best way to clean my pump parts at work and thought I would see what everyone else does. Currently I clean everything but the bottle itself with the Medela cleaning wipes but they are expensive and there are only 24 in a pack. The bottles themselves I just rinse with water. I don't have time to wash everything with soap and water. I bought some of the microwave bags from Medela and thought I should try those but it says to wash them first with soap and water.
What do you do?
Re: Cleaning pump parts at work?
Most of the people that I work with that pump use the microwave bags. HTH!
Do you know if you can just rinse them and put them in the bag or do you have to wash them with soap and water first?
That's what I was wondering too. Geez, this is confusing
I juts rinse my parts with water and microwave.. not sure if I am in the wrong or not. I have also depending on timing during the day just put my parts in a ziplock bag and put them in the refrigerator for the next pumping so I don't have to wash them. I bring enough collection bottles to not have to wash them until I get home.
If you are nervous could you buy another set of parts??
If you have a refrigerator at work you can use, some ladies here have recommended putting your parts in a big ziploc bag and leave them there. I don't have that option, so I have been using the wipes between session (and yes, it gets expensive!).
BM is also good for 8 hrs at room temperature, so you can leave them in a bag at room temperature--and it's good to go. But I haven't been able to figure out whether this last method would work for me, I feel like I need to "clean" or "wipe" the parts somehow before putting them back on the boobs during the next sessions.
this. it makes pumping a 2nd time a little cold but nothing can grow on them and then i don't have take extra time cleaning. i found that i was going threw too many ziplocs so i take a spit up rag that someone made for us and wrap them up in there.
I put the parts in a ziploc and put it in the fridge too.
As far as the bags, they are for sterilizing NOT cleaning. There is a difference. Now, if you still clean your parts with soap and water each night, I'm sure it won't be an issue, but I would not rely on the bags exclusively.