Sterilizing pump... do I have to?

[Spiralshell]

I know I am supposed to sterilize my pump and bottles, but I don't. It's a LOT of work... is it really necessary or is it overkill?

My son is 13 weeks old and nursing has been going well after a rocky start (emergency c-section, baby in NICU being fed formula without my consent, etc.) I have to return to work in eight weeks, so I am pumping to build up my supply and start to get a bit of a stash in the freezer. (Also, it's nice to have a bottle of EBM in the refrigerator in case I need to run to the store, etc. so DP can feed him if he gets hungry while I'm gone.)
Everything I read about pumping seems to assume that I will take everything apart and sterilize all the parts of my pump in between each pumping session.
When I read this I just laugh -- how can anyone manage this? We nurse all day long, every two to three hours, and we go a max of three hours at night. I pump the breast he's not feeding from, and I get 1, maybe 1.5 ounces each time. Very rarely, I can get 2 ounces. So it takes several small sessions to get enough for a 4 oz bottle to transfer to a bag and freeze. If I sterilize each time, I'll be doing it all day long!
I have been cleaning the collection part of the pump once a day in very hot water and soap, and collecting into a new clean bottle out of the dishwasher at each session. Then I pour these into a bottle in the fridge and freeze once I hit 4 oz. In between pumping sessions, I take a tissue and wipe off any visible milk on the breastshields, but that's it. I'll be back at it in 2 hours anyway!
I have an Ameda Purely Yours, and I just bought an Avent Isis hand pump (I have heard I will be able to get more milk with this pump, we'll see!)

What does everybody else do? Am I really putting my babe at risk or is all the sterilization talk in the books/pump instructions just overkill?
Any experienced Mama wisdom would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[kismetbaby]

Okay, I don't have a lot of experience with this, but I'll tell you what my LC told me and what I have heard at LLL and through other mamas.

The short answer is yes, sterilizing after every use is overkill and no one can actually do this!!!!! UNLESS you have a baby under 4 weeks old or an infant with health issues, sterilizing once every 24 hours is perfectly fine. (And to be honest some people do true sterilization--boiling or dish washing of all parts that touch breast/milk even less than that!). I don't pump a whole lot, but when I did/do, I always just rinsed out the horn and the phalange in very hot water after each use, so that no milk was sitting on these parts. You might want to do this hot water rinse instead of the tissue wipe. . .

I'm not sure how you do it, but BM is safe at room temp for 4 hours, so if you are going to pump more than once in 4 hours, I'd think you'd be safe to reuse anything in that time. Also, you shouldn't add warm milk to cold milk. . .so if you are pumping just an ounce or two at a time, make sure they are the same temp when you combine them--either under 4 hours at room temp or if its going to be longer than that keep putting them in the fridge and when they are all cold add them together into the freezer bag.

Honestly, it sounds like what you are doing already is perfectly safe!

[Bokonon]

When I was pumping, I put the parts in the fridge between pumping sessions, and overnight I kept a cooler by my bed so I wouldn't have to get up every time I pumped. My DS was in the NICU for 6 weeks, and this tip was given to me by an LC and a couple of NICU nurses, and was a lifesaver!

Also, Medela makes sterilization bags that you can put the parts in and pop in the microwave.

[kriket]

I sterilized daily (in the evening before bed) when mine was that age. I donated then too and I thought I was doing more then necessary to be safe for the recipient.

Work of caution on putting the pump flanges in the fridge, it makes for unhappy nipples.

[Sk8ermaiden]

I have also heard of the fridge trick, but honestly? I didn't bother.

Considering how long it takes breast milk to go bad at room temp (which I have found is MUCH longer than even the 7-9 hours I have read) I am totally comfortable washing with hot, soapy water once a day. I would do the microwave steam bags or dishwasher once a week.

[curious&eager]

Um, I sterilize mine like never. . I just wash it with hot soapy water after each use. On the rare occasion that there's space in the dishwasher then it gets washed. I'm not saying that's right, but it's what I do.

[bajamergrrl]

I pump daily and I don't sterilize often. While at work I rinse the parts with hot water in between use and then wash everything with hot soapy water when I get home.

[Peppermint Poppies]

The Australian Breastfeeding Assoc (our equivalent of LLL) instructs women that breastfeeding pumps/bottles don't need sterilising at all. Only bottles used for formula require sterilising.

Breastpumps parts just need a very hot soapy wash once a day, and rinse all parts with cool water in between pumping sessions throughout the day.

[Comtessa]

Originally Posted by kismetbaby

Also, you shouldn't add warm milk to cold milk. . .so if you are pumping just an ounce or two at a time, make sure they are the same temp when you combine them--either under 4 hours at room temp or if its going to be longer than that keep putting them in the fridge and when they are all cold add them together into the freezer bag.

Okay, I know I read somewhere that recent research has shown that this is no longer necessary - that now they're saying it's ok to add warm milk to cold. But I can't find the link now! I'll keep looking.

ETA: Found it! Here's the link: http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com...ehandling.html.

"While it was originally thought that a mother had to cool her fresh breastmilk before combining it with previously expressed cooled milk, the latest research now shows that you may pump directly into already refrigerated or cooled milk as long as the milk is added within 24 hours of the first milk expressed. You should then follow the storage recommendations based upon the time and date of the first milk expressed. You may pump directly into milk that has been stored at room temperature as long as you do so within 10 hours. This milk would need to then be used."

[kismetbaby]

Originally Posted by Comtessa

Okay, I know I read somewhere that recent research has shown that this is no longer necessary - that now they're saying it's ok to add warm milk to cold. But I can't find the link now! I'll keep looking.

ETA: Found it! Here's the link: http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com...ehandling.html.

Thanks. My LC had told me about the only adding cool to cool and warm to warm thing. . .but this is simpler!

[Lilly Milly]

I rinse after using so milk doesn't dry in the parts you can't reach and wash the parts in hot soapy water later on (usually I leave it for my husband to wash). Now that you mention it I might start putting in the dishwasher once in a while, but I don't think it's neccessary.

[Spiralshell]

Thank you so much for the sanity check Mamas! My gut was telling me that constant sterilizing isn't necessary, but it really helps a lot to hear from other moms about how you have handled this. As with nearly everything mama/baby related, basic common sense works!

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

Originally Posted by curious&eager

Um, I sterilize mine like never. . I just wash it with hot soapy water after each use. On the rare occasion that there's space in the dishwasher then it gets washed. I'm not saying that's right, but it's what I do.

ditto

[HappyHappyMommy]

Originally Posted by Spiralshell

I know I am supposed to sterilize my pump and bottles, but I don't. It's a LOT of work... is it really necessary or is it overkill?

Everything I read about pumping seems to assume that I will take everything apart and sterilize all the parts of my pump in between each pumping session.
When I read this I just laugh -- how can anyone manage this?

I have been cleaning the collection part of the pump once a day in very hot water and soap, and collecting into a new clean bottle out of the dishwasher at each session.

What does everybody else do? Am I really putting my babe at risk or is all the sterilization talk in the books/pump instructions just overkill?
Any experienced Mama wisdom would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I EP and I have a couple sets of parts and sterilize them in the dishwasher daily. This made a huge difference when I had thrush.