WWPAL do? Breast pump sanitizing at work (PGAL lurker ?)

MsAmandaPants · April 2014

Lurker alert! I posted this on PGAL, but then I realized that you ladies that are actually dealing with this issue might have some insight . . .

I'm curious what others think about this. There is a new mom at my workplace and she is using the Medela microwave sanitizing bags to sanitize her breast pump after pumping in the office. She is using the communal office microwave that we all heat our lunches in to do this.

The soon to be new mom in me thinks, "that's convenient," but the other (admittedly germaphobe) part of me thinks, "thanks for keeping your bodily fluids out of the microwave where I heat my food."

What do you think? Also, how did you handle pumping at work?

NoeliaV · April 2014

I wouldn't care if a coworker did that here, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's a minority opinion.

I just kept my pump parts on ice in my lunch cooler, then rinsed and washed at home.

4legsRbest · April 2014

I never washed or sanitized at work. The microwave doesn't bother me, but gross - I have seen the inside of ours. No way I would want my pump parts in there

martinimomma · April 2014

I'm germophobe enough to cover anything I nuke in our work microwave with a clean paper plate, but that's me...

As for the pump parts, I also went the cooler route (actually a cube frige under my desk) and washed nightly at home. No need to sterilize the bejeezus out of them, in my view.

MsAmandaPants · April 2014

4legsRbest said:

I never washed or sanitized at work. The microwave doesn't bother me, but gross - I have seen the inside of ours. No way I would want my pump parts in there

This! Our microwave is DISGUSTING!

MsAmandaPants · April 2014

Thanks ladies! I'm reassured to hear about that you don't have to sterilize immediately after each pumping session. That is what I had heard, but I also fully admit that I know absolutely nothing about this (yet!).

katharine25 · April 2014

I just wash mine once at the end of the day with hot water and some dish soap. Takes like. 2 minutes Max. I leave all my pump parts in my filing cabinet.
I was told by my pump manufacturer that the sanitizing mw bags are bad for my pumps parts and it not only would void the warranty but also shorten the life of the cups. (I use Freemie cups, though they are just plastic so can't imagine all that different than other pumps)

I agree though with 4legs, The m/w is gross for my parts. I could care less if other people think "my bodily fluid" is gross. Besides they're reheating actual body parts most of the time !

MauLoaM0M · April 2014

I store my pump parts in a Tupperware container in the fridge between pumps. I wash with hot soapy water at night & allow to dry.

FmrAFBrat · April 2014

MauLoaM0M said:
I store my pump parts in a Tupperware container in the fridge between pumps. I wash with hot soapy water at night & allow to dry.

This. You can also sanitize at night in the microwave. I got a cheap Munchkin sterilizer from Walmart to use at night. Way less expensive than the bags.

valigrl21 · April 2014

I keep my pump parts in the fridge during the day and then put them in the dishwasher at night.

ellebelle2384 · April 2014

I thought those bags contained everything pretty well so I wouldn't worry about bodily fluids getting on your food.

But as for pump parts, I would always just keep them in a bag in the fridge between sessions and then wash/sanitize when I got home.

KJsbabe · April 2014

I wiped my pump parts off with a baby wipe in between uses, and washed them at night. I had to pump in my car a lot and didn't have easy access to a sink, or microwave for that matter.

4legsRbest · April 2014

martinimomma said:

I'm germophobe enough to cover anything I nuke in our work microwave with a clean paper plate, but that's me...
As for the pump parts, I also went the cooler route (actually a cube frige under my desk) and washed nightly at home. No need to sterilize the bejeezus out of them, in my view.

I did this to store my milk! Loved it (now use t for my lunch and snacks - I think everyone should have a mini-fridge at their desk), I didn't want to put mine in the community in the fridge. Ewwww!

weaslewam · April 2014

andrea ri 80 said:

I just rinsed the parts in the sink after use. According to my IBCLC, the parts don't need to be "sanitized" after each use, just rinsed with warm water after each use and sanitized/washed once daily.

This!

I was probably the worst at sanitizing my pump parts. I would rinse if I felt like it but sometimes I didn't (YIKES). I don't think she's being gross by sanitizing in the microwave though. There's probably more germs in the food that goes in there than the breast milk. If she's using a microwave bag, nothing really would be contaminating the microwave either.

SciChick · April 2014

FmrAFBrat said:

I store my pump parts in a Tupperware container in the fridge between pumps. I wash with hot soapy water at night & allow to dry.
This. You can also sanitize at night in the microwave. I got a cheap Munchkin sterilizer from Walmart to use at night. Way less expensive than the bags.

This is what I do. I just rinse after using at work and sterilize in the Munchkin sterilizer before using again.

bumpuser9524622 · April 2014

Like some of the other posters, I just stored mine in the fridge between uses. I bought a few wet bags (like you use for cloth diapers) and stored in those. I didn't have a sink available in my lactation room and there was no way that I was going to rinse them out in the nasty bathroom sinks!

sergeantb44 · April 2014

@sunnydaysarehere I sent you a PM regarding a NEOhio GTG. Let me know what you think. I am usually mobile so I don't see the PM. I left my number which works better.

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WWPAL do? Breast pump sanitizing at work (PGAL lurker ?)

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