pumping at work- ideas?

Team Kimball · August 2013

I've begun pumping at work and it's going really well, however, I'm wondering how safe I'm being with the parts. How thoroughly do you wash parts in between uses? It seems like it would be too time consuming. I've just been rinsing under water, I haven't been taking pieces apart. I also pour milk into storage bags and just rinse the bottles with water and re-use the next time I pump which is 3-3 1/2 hours later. I would love to hear what other's are doing. My breaks have to be really quick but I'm not ready to stop nursing....thanks!

Sue&Pasquale · August 2013

I have two bottles and two flanges. I only pump twice at work. I use one of each, each time and take it home with me and wash the bottles in the dishwasher and was the flanges with hot soapy water.

I also pour the milk in storage bags.

cmgedney · August 2013

I pump in the morning when I wake up and twice at work. I store the flanges in a steamer bag and keep in the frig when I am not using. This keeps the bacteria from growing and makes things easier and less time consuming.

Team Kimball · August 2013

I'm so glad you responded, I should only be doing one side then instead of pumping both. What an oversight! Thanks

MrsWindyCity · August 2013

I store pump parts in a bag in the fridge in between sessions. No rinsing/washing until the end of the day.

kelly422 · August 2013

I do the same as you - I just rinse them in hot water in between pumps and reuse all the same supplies. In the evening, I scrub with hot soapy water. I've been an EPer for 3.5 months now and never had any issues doing it this way.

yohannah · August 2013

I thoroughly wash with hot water and dawn soap then sterilize at night. I brought my own plastic basket to wash and rinse in. When im done I letbtgen air dry...washing was taking about 5 min. I hand express at work niw because its mych more convenient.

musicalsilver · August 2013

I just stick all the parts in a ziplock in the fridge between pumping sessions. I wash them thoroughly with hot soapy water at night when I get home.

And you should definitely be pumping from both sides, not just one!

PepperBug · August 2013

I pump directly into medela freezer bags. After I pump, I consolidate the milk and put emptied bags and pump parts into my cooler with the milk for re-use. I keep the cooler with my pp in the pumping room, and then just take the cooler with everything in it home at the end of the day. All I have clean when I get home is two flange sets! When I get home, I immediately put this with her bottles in the sink to rinse in hot soapy water. After the kids are in bed, I quickly clean and rinse under hot water.

Girl031813 · August 2013

I pump both sides and keep everything in the refrigerator and wash at home.

pinottoparenthood · August 2013

I keep my flanges in one ziplock sandwich bag and the plastic connectors with the yellow things still attached in a other ziplock bag. Between pumps at work, I don't even rinse my parts, I just keep them in the fridge. Same with the bottles... I can't rinse at work but they are in the cooler with the ice pack or in my fridge. Every night I run everything to the dishwasher. I would say that you EITHER need to store parts in the fridge OR rinse with hot water between uses during the day and then wash well at night.

pinottoparenthood · August 2013

musicalsilver said:

And you should definitely be pumping from both sides, not just one!

This. Pumping one side at a time either takes twice as long or else only gives you half the milk. Lose-lose.

SandraDee6 · August 2013

I pump at least twice during the day at work and use these to clean my flanges between sessions: https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Clean-Breastpump-Accessory-Wipes/dp/B000CCXLNE#productDetails

I don't have the availability to wash my supplies during the day, so these have been perfect for me.

llarkinburns · August 2013

MrsWindyCity said:

I store pump parts in a bag in the fridge in between sessions. No rinsing/washing until the end of the day.

Same here. I pump three times at work.

Sue&Pasquale · August 2013

no I mean I pump both sides with one flange. I don't find it comfortable to pump both at the same time. I like to have one hand free for reading or listening to podcasts on my ipad or flipping through pictures of my little ones.

So I pump on one side for 10 mins and then switch.

always pump on both sides!!!

poppyc8 · August 2013

I rinse my set at work with warm water no soap and then once i get home i immediatley put them in a large bowl with hot soapy water to rinse them every evening. In regard to pumping, I pump one side at a time and I get almost twice the amount of milk. It takes more time but it's worth it. Just try both and do what works for you.

Eleventy11 · August 2013

Sue&Pasquale said:
no I mean I pump both sides with one flange. I don't find it comfortable to pump both at the same time. I like to have one hand free for reading or listening to podcasts on my ipad or flipping through pictures of my little ones.
So I pump on one side for 10 mins and then switch.
always pump on both sides!!!

A hands free bra will be a lifesaver. You have both hands free.

musicalsilver · August 2013

courtnif said:

no I mean I pump both sides with one flange. I don't find it comfortable to pump both at the same time. I like to have one hand free for reading or listening to podcasts on my ipad or flipping through pictures of my little ones.
So I pump on one side for 10 mins and then switch.
always pump on both sides!!!

A hands free bra will be a lifesaver. You have both hands free.

This. And I've read that you will get more milk when you're pumping both sides at the same time, though I can't recall the source.

I've also found that with strategic placement of the flanges with a regular (relatively tight) spaghetti strap top and a tshirt, I can manage to pump hands free without needing the hands free bra (though I have the advantage(?) of relatively small breasts).

Team Kimball · August 2013

WOW!!! Thank you thank you for all the replies. I think I'm going to go with keeping my parts in a cooler between uses, skip the rinse, and go back to pumping both sides. I've been sterilizing every night. Thanks again!

dianadvargas · September 2013

Team Kimball said:

WOW!!! Thank you thank you for all the replies. I think I'm going to go with keeping my parts in a cooler between uses, skip the rinse, and go back to pumping both sides. I've been sterilizing every night. Thanks again!

What you just said you are going to do, is exactly what I do ... Believe me is the best way...

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