Pumping Milk at Work for Donation

[vonn's_mama]

Hi,
I'm hoping that someone out there has pumped milk to donate to a milk bank while you were working and that you figured out a good way to make sure your pump parts, etc. stayed sterile.

When I'm just pumping for my own baby, I sterilize everything the night before. I put the caps on the bottles, which I assume keeps them sterile, but with my pump parts, I just assemble them and put them in the pocket on my bag. My bag is far from sterile now that I'm pumping for my second child, so the milk bank suggested that I use zip lock bags for the pump parts. That sounds reasonable, except that I hate burning through zip locks. My pump parts are always dewy when I pull them out of the sterilizer, so the zip lock gets wet. I feel like the zip lock probably isn't all that clean after more than one or two uses, and like I said, I feel bad throwing away so many zip locks.

Has anyone dealt with this who has advice, or does anyone have any cleaver ideas even if you haven't dealt with this? Thanks!

[Doberbrat]

I donated directly to mammas via milkshare so maybe its different but I only sterilized to ensure things were really clean. so a ziploc baggie was fine for me but you could sterilize some of those gladlock containers and then put the parts in there.

[Aufilia]

I didn't donate to a milk bank, but when I was pumping at work I used microwave steam sterilizer bags in the microwave at work. Could you just sterilize your parts first thing in the morning when you get there, instead of doing it at home and having to carry them in?

[kriket]

I donated through Milkshare I steam sterilized in the microwave before I pumped.

I don't know your reasons for going through the milk bank but you should take a look at milkshare. Milk banks can charge the needy mom upward of $4 an ounce, and it is only available to the preemies or sick babies. While it is a very benevolent endeavor, that is sooo much money for the families. Most moms on Milkshare only ask to have supplies like bags, and shipping reimbursed. I feel like the milk banks are lining someones pockets with all that money.

[Shanny2032]

Would you feel better if you could reuse the ziplocs down the line? They could be handy in a diaper bag for dirty diapers when out or will come in handy when potty training and you need a place for wet/dirty clothes. Just some thoughts.