boiling plastic pump parts and leaching

[blessed2bamommie]

I was looking at my pump and saw that I needed to boil it....then I think about the fact its plastic and the high heat and leaching...... What do yall think?

[melissa17s]

My pump has the same instruction. When I ask the lactation constultant about it (this was probably almost 4 yrs, though), she told me that it was better to boil than using soap. She said soap would scratch the surface, and then the plastic would trap bacteria. I have also heard of soap scratch being directly related to plastics leaching. With the heating of plastic, I think it is worse to cook food especially acidic or fatty food in it. I don't know if it will leach after being heated when it is once again at room temp... Do you know what number the plastic is? Some are better than others. You might call the company that made it and ask too about the boiling.

[Periwinkle]

I also boiled them. Milk isn't stored in there, so I think the leaching issue is a lot less significant. The milk is only in contact for a few seconds - prob. not long enough to pick up the bisphenols or others, but definitely long enough to pick up bacteria hanging around in all those nooks and crannies (and scratches).

[blessed2bamommie]

good points! mamas!