breastfeeding/pumping question!!! help!

Help!

I have the Medela Pump in Style...when I pump, do I have to sterilize (ie.: boil) all the parts EACH time I use them??? This seems a bit ridiculous to me. I can understand sterilizing the storage bottles if I am going to be freezing the milk and storing it for a while (so there is no bacteria)...but I usually use the milk I pump that same day, so I only refrigerate it. (am I confusing you yet??) The pump instructions say to boil the parts the before the first use of each day. I have been washing them with hot soapy water instead...I did boil them a few times, but the parts were starting to look funny from all that boiling!! Please help!

Thanks!!!!

Oops, I found my answer..although I'd be interested to see what other moms are doing!

This is from www. askdrsears.com

How should I wash containers that will hold milk? Do I need to sterilize them?

When you are pumping milk for a full-term, healthy baby, you do not need to worry about sterilizing storage containers or pump parts. Wash your storage containers in hot soapy water, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before you pump. Check the manufacturer's instructions for information on washing parts of the pump. Storage containers and parts of some pumps can be washed in a dishwasher.

Mothers who are pumping milk for a sick or hospitalized baby will need to be more careful about milk handling and sterilization procedures.


Hee hee, I feel like Shamma, cutting and pasting information. LOL

melissa-
I have the same pump.
The first time I used it I boiled all the parts including the tubes. They get a bit hazy from the boiling but it does not harm them.
after the first time, i did not do it anymore

good luck pumping!
I do it at work and sometimes at home.
Julianne moved from 4oz to 6 or 7 at a time so I have a hard time pumping all that.
I have read other moms have no probs at all.
Me , it takes a 1.2 hour to 1 hour for 4 or 5 oz!

Phyl, I find that using the hand pump (manual pump?) is faster and I can get much more milk that way. Weird, huh.
At first, I could only get a couple of ounces and it took over an hour
Now, I can get 4 oz in 10 minutes or so. I have no idea what happened to change things, but I am glad!