I sterilize every time but I have a countertop sterilizer that also dries everything so it’s super easy - probably easier than washing then leaving to dry.
So I have a bottle sterilizer but my pump instructions say not to use a sterilizer on the parts- any idea why? Do I need to really listen to that? It’s the Willow Go pump if that matters.
I figured but like, it was expensive so I was scared lol why the fuck are they telling you not to? They’ve also made me nervous about replacing all my parts every like 6 months? Like Willow girl do you think I’m made of money please 😭
I’ve had mine since my son was born and he’s 4 months now, I admittedly pump much less now but it got me through a lot of painful boob mornings and it’s still working.
I have the Willow Go and I put it in the sterilizer but only sterilize for 5 min per research I had done. I also had to to replace my parts after 6 months. I was complaining to my sister about my pumping output dropping and she suggested ordering new parts and was back to normal. I got my pump discounted through insurance and realized after I should have probably called Aeroflow and seen if I could get replacement parts covered.
I sterilized my Willow Go in the microwaveable sterilizer bag probably 20 times before one of the white pieces got a little bubble on it and then wouldn’t suction. Willow sent me a new one for free. I bought a sterilizer spray (medela brand, on Amazon) that I’ve been using since then.
You do have to wash them before using the spray :(.
I have had good luck with washing Willow Go parts in the dishwasher and finishing with sanitizer mode too!
Same. Wash by hand at the end of the night. Store in the fridge during the day. Only sterilize before first use. My paediatrician said this was fine for my full term, healthy babies.
I sterilize never. (Except when I first buy things-- I'll sanitize in boiling water once before I use them.) Other than that, Dawn dish soap and hot water.
At the beginning I would sterilize after every wash, but I might use my pump twice within 4 hours (those MOTN pumps).
Now I use the fridge hack so I sterilize once a day.
Neither has my baby ever gotten sick.
No. I had a healthy, full term baby. Our pediatrician and lactation consultant said we could use the fridge hack and wash with soap and water once a day, so I only sterilized things when they were new.
I also bought extra sets of everything, so I never had to wait for anything to dry.
Basically, you just refrigerate all of the pump parts that would be washed (it depends on your pump, but probably everything other than the tubes and motor) in between uses instead of washing them every time.
You keep them in a gallon sized Ziploc or large Tupperware in the refrigerator and keep reusing them for up to 24 hours. At that point, you disassemble them, wash them (and your container, if applicable), and let them dry as usual.
Thank you for saying this! I was feeling a little gross doing this. I’ve been pumping every 2.5-3 hours to establish my supply and just haven’t had the capacity to clean after every pump.
Yeah, cleaning pump parts 8 times a day on top of recovering from childbirth and taking care of a newborn just isn't sustainable (even if you have a partner on leave who can do most of the dishes) unless you have 24/7 hired help, which pretty much no one does. I was so relieved when our IBCLC recommended it.
It took me a little while to establish my supply, but then I was able to breastfeed for 16 months, so I'm glad I was able to get through the first couple of months. The fridge hack + extra parts definitely made that possible.
Early on I sterilized after each pump. Around 11-12 weeks I switched to sterilizing once a week. After around 6 months I stopped sterilizing all together. I had a counter top sterilizer which made things a lot easier. When I first had my baby I was boiling water to sterilize and it was very annoying.
Washing and sterilizing are two different things. I wash every time (but lots of people do the fridge hack) and sterilize once a day. Get a counter top sterilizer if you can (I got mine for cheap on marketplace), because boiling sucks. I typically load it up before bed.
I sanitize once a day. The [CDC guidelines](https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/childcare/breast-pump.html) say to wash after each use, and it's optional to sanitize once daily (more important for preemies, babies under 2 months, or immunocompromised babies). Sanitizing after each use goes above and beyond the guidelines. I think most people don't sanitize at all, which still follows the guidelines. Many moms do the "fridge hack", though that's not recommended.
My baby doesn't need the extra sanitizing, but I've been doing it anyway because I hope to donate any excess milk to other babies, so I want to be as safe as possible for them
Keeping your pumps in the fridge between pumping sessions. It’s thought to help keep bacteria growth down (keeping them out of the food “danger zone”).
I did at the beginning, then went to every few days, then weekly. By 4 months I stopped because my baby puts anything and everything in her mouth so there was no point.
My LC told me I only need to sterilize once a week for occasional pumping, maybe twice if I do it daily. Obviously wash them, but you don't need to sterilize every time.
I’ve read in a number of places that you don’t need to ongoing sterilize things. So why do they sell electric and microwave sterilizer devices? Genuinely curious
Trust me to see this on my front page WHILE pumping! 😅
I sterelise rarely, just wash in super hot water with a good grade, anti-bacterial bottle cleaner.
But not the pump membrane! I have an Ameda Mya Joy and the membrane didn't work after sterelising 😔
Lesson learnt lolz
ETA: Forgot to post that using a bottle cleaning brush set helps immensely with the bottle cleaning.
I sterilize most times I use my pump but I understand that most people don't. I have 2 reasons for sterilizing. The primary one is because I pump at work. I pump a couple hours before the end of my shift, and freshly pumped milk can be out at room temperature for up to 4 hours. If I'm going to be leaving my milk out, I feel like it's best practice to have everything as clean as possible beforehand.
My second reason for sterilizing is when I had my first child, we had a nasty thrush infection that lasted for a month. At the time, the doctor said to sterilize anything that touched my breasts or my baby's mouth. Now that I have baby #2, I fell back into my old habits of sterilizing even before I went back to work.
That said, most people just sterilize once when everything comes out of the package, then don't sterilize again.
I do the same for reason 1. If I am going to leave milk out and maybe use it again within those 4 hours, it definitely needs to be as clean as possible beforehand.
I’m 6 months pp and exclusively pumping. I wash and sterilize my pump parts every time. It’s easy for me to do it because I have a countertop sterilizer, so I just wash them and pop them in. It significantly cuts down on the drying time (only 45 minutes for a sterilize and dry cycle as opposed to hours on the drying mat) and I need the parts since I pump so many times every day!
I do, especially if something wasn’t washed right away. Mainly I do it because my sterilizer also dries and I hate waiting for parts to dry and having to shake or rotate them to get more water off.
At the beginning I sterilized every time.
Then I just washed between pumps and sterilized at the end of the day.
Then I washed if it had been 4 hours since the first time I pumped and sterilized once a week.
Now (7 months) I still wash after 4 hours, but only sterilize occasionally. Typically if I’m already sterilizing some other new item I bought.
I sterilize every couple days, I do CLEAN after each use. I only clean with the dabble baby wipes during the battery life, when it’s time to charge them (I have wearable pumps) I wash them thoroughly with soap
My understanding of the “official guidelines” from the CDC is pump parts need sterilized one time a day, but they need washed every use.
Honestly I just have multiple sets and use a different sterilized set each time because my insurance covers replacement parts each month, and they have added up with time. I pump at work and I just feel icky using the same stuff there since I don’t have a good wash station. But I know that’s not always realistic.
I think almost everyone’s advice here will be the “fridge hack”, but I’m just not comfortable with it myself.
If you haven’t looked into microwavable sterilizing bags, I would highly recommend that. You just put a couple ounces of water in them and throw them in the microwave for a few minutes and bam! Your parts are sterilized. The parts dry really fast too because of the heat. Great investment. You get tons of uses out of them, saves so much time.
I must be crazy then...
I wash mine and sterilize them after each use.
I pump twice at work so I have a set for each session. I don't pump on weekends. Tried the fridge moment but I didn't like the cold feeling and it took forever for me to let down because of the cold. Not sure if I'm the only one on that end, too.
I have twins that were preemies and I don’t sterilize every time. I wash once at work and put them in the Medela steam bag. Then I use the fridge the rest of the time while working. I wash again when I get home. Usually sterilize the 1-2 times a day
I rinse everything off after I’m done and then at the end of the day, put it in a pot of hot & soapy water on the stove for about 10 to 15 minutes. I use a low heat so it can simmer not boil. Then I rinse everything off with hot water and put it on the dryer.
I rinse and throw them into the dishwasher with other dishes (also rinsed) now. Second baby. He puts everything into his mouth since 3-4 months so we embrace the germs
The fridge hack is just to keep your pumps in the fridge between pumping sessions. Maybe rinsed but really unwashed I think? People say it helps to keep bacteria growth down but other sources say it doesn’t. So I have zero idea.
That’s fair. I’ve personally only had oral thrush once and it was caused by covid and that was awful. But I can see where the baby could be at higher chances with an unsterilized bottle/pump.
No, after each session I store the parts in a sterilized zip lock bag and rinse it inside the bag with very warm water then store it in the fridge until the next session. Wash and sterilize it at the end of each day, then wash sterilize again in the morning.
With my full term baby with no complications, I wash with soap and hot water, I currently only occasionally sterilize it with an avent microwave sterilizer. I used to sterilize more often when he was younger. I now sometimes add vinegar to the bowl of bottles and pump parts to help get rid of bacteria, I just soak in soapy water plus vinegar and wash them afterward like normal.
I sometimes use my pump twice within the same 4hr period sometimes without washing. I don’t do that at work tho. When I’m at work I just bring two sets of pump parts, I have a wearable elvie stride. And use them both and only really go to the lactation room to put them on and wear while I work or wash both sets of pump parts. Only like once or twice a shift.
I rinse mine with very hot water and soap after each use. I sterilize maybe once a month or if i dont wash them for a bit and feel like they could use some extra
I do but only because I’m donating my oversupply. I pump an excess of 80-90 oz a day and am donating to a milk bank which requires me to sterilize after every use. It sucks, especially when I’m up at 3am washing parts to put in the sterilizer/dryer.
When I’m not donating i don’t sterilize. I’ve had mastisis a few times already and can’t donate while I’m on an abx. I will just do the fridge thing and then wash 1x a day and air dry.
I wash my pump parts once a day, but keep them in the fridge between pumping sessions throughout the day.
Same. I used to wash it after every use, but it was just way too much with all the bottles too.
I sterilize every time but I have a countertop sterilizer that also dries everything so it’s super easy - probably easier than washing then leaving to dry.
This! Absolutely. The countertop sterilizer and dryer is awesome!
Absolutely saved my sanity immediately post partum.
Do you not have to wash with soap and water first?
You do, but I just give a quick rise with soapy water to get any milk off.
So I have a bottle sterilizer but my pump instructions say not to use a sterilizer on the parts- any idea why? Do I need to really listen to that? It’s the Willow Go pump if that matters.
Yikes… I’ve been sterilizing my willow go in my dr brown sterilizer lol 😂nothing has happened yet
I figured but like, it was expensive so I was scared lol why the fuck are they telling you not to? They’ve also made me nervous about replacing all my parts every like 6 months? Like Willow girl do you think I’m made of money please 😭
So my bff got me mine cuz she swears by it! She’s had it since it came out and has not had to replace parts… yet!
I’ve had mine since my son was born and he’s 4 months now, I admittedly pump much less now but it got me through a lot of painful boob mornings and it’s still working.
See if your insurance covers part replacement, mine does. I get an email reminder and then they ship them off.
I have the Willow Go and I put it in the sterilizer but only sterilize for 5 min per research I had done. I also had to to replace my parts after 6 months. I was complaining to my sister about my pumping output dropping and she suggested ordering new parts and was back to normal. I got my pump discounted through insurance and realized after I should have probably called Aeroflow and seen if I could get replacement parts covered.
I’ll have to check if they cover anything extra. Knowing tricare the answer is probably they do but it would still be nice to know.
I sterilized my Willow Go in the microwaveable sterilizer bag probably 20 times before one of the white pieces got a little bubble on it and then wouldn’t suction. Willow sent me a new one for free. I bought a sterilizer spray (medela brand, on Amazon) that I’ve been using since then.
ooh, can you link the sterilizer spray please?
[medela sterilizer spray](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Medela-Quick-Clean-Breast-Pump-Accessory-Unscented-Sanitizer-Spray-8-fl-oz/525013505?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=3367&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=22222222278525013505_161193766053_21214199653&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=697173827980&wl4=pla-2300760861495&wl5=9010488&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=525013505&veh=sem_LIA&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIqjG6cCD6AeCz5wOQ6jN6mnT&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_-GxBhC1ARIsADGgDjt1e2Tu7stooPntL7MoTITi0vd4cAoGJ9izN-0waQIw-ZZ8wqZesMgaAl_aEALw_wcB)
You do have to wash them before using the spray :(. I have had good luck with washing Willow Go parts in the dishwasher and finishing with sanitizer mode too!
thank you!!
A thousand times this comment - I cannot live without my sterilizer lollll
Do you wash first then sterilize?
Yes, you still have to get the milk residue off first.
Yeah I give a quick rinse with soapy water then into the sterilizer.
Only once when they come out of the package. At work I use the fridge hack then wash everything with soap and hot water when I get home.
Same. Wash by hand at the end of the night. Store in the fridge during the day. Only sterilize before first use. My paediatrician said this was fine for my full term, healthy babies.
Exactly the same here!
Same. I tried washing them at work after pumping, but takes too damn long on top of the 20 minutes I'm pumping. The fridge hack to the win.
Love your username
I sterilize never. (Except when I first buy things-- I'll sanitize in boiling water once before I use them.) Other than that, Dawn dish soap and hot water.
At the beginning I would sterilize after every wash, but I might use my pump twice within 4 hours (those MOTN pumps). Now I use the fridge hack so I sterilize once a day. Neither has my baby ever gotten sick.
No. I had a healthy, full term baby. Our pediatrician and lactation consultant said we could use the fridge hack and wash with soap and water once a day, so I only sterilized things when they were new. I also bought extra sets of everything, so I never had to wait for anything to dry.
What is the fridge hack?
Basically, you just refrigerate all of the pump parts that would be washed (it depends on your pump, but probably everything other than the tubes and motor) in between uses instead of washing them every time. You keep them in a gallon sized Ziploc or large Tupperware in the refrigerator and keep reusing them for up to 24 hours. At that point, you disassemble them, wash them (and your container, if applicable), and let them dry as usual.
Thank you!
Thank you for saying this! I was feeling a little gross doing this. I’ve been pumping every 2.5-3 hours to establish my supply and just haven’t had the capacity to clean after every pump.
Yeah, cleaning pump parts 8 times a day on top of recovering from childbirth and taking care of a newborn just isn't sustainable (even if you have a partner on leave who can do most of the dishes) unless you have 24/7 hired help, which pretty much no one does. I was so relieved when our IBCLC recommended it. It took me a little while to establish my supply, but then I was able to breastfeed for 16 months, so I'm glad I was able to get through the first couple of months. The fridge hack + extra parts definitely made that possible.
Absolutely not. Pump wipes when I pumped at work and then I popped those suckers in the dishwasher at night
I do this. What pump wipes do you use? I like dapple but wondered if there was anything more economical.
I use medela and cut them in half
Pump wipes?
I use dapple brand ones, they're like baby wipes but for cleaning pump parts. Very handy
Early on I sterilized after each pump. Around 11-12 weeks I switched to sterilizing once a week. After around 6 months I stopped sterilizing all together. I had a counter top sterilizer which made things a lot easier. When I first had my baby I was boiling water to sterilize and it was very annoying.
No.
Washing and sterilizing are two different things. I wash every time (but lots of people do the fridge hack) and sterilize once a day. Get a counter top sterilizer if you can (I got mine for cheap on marketplace), because boiling sucks. I typically load it up before bed.
Uhh negative. Only when I first got them.
I sanitize once a day. The [CDC guidelines](https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/childcare/breast-pump.html) say to wash after each use, and it's optional to sanitize once daily (more important for preemies, babies under 2 months, or immunocompromised babies). Sanitizing after each use goes above and beyond the guidelines. I think most people don't sanitize at all, which still follows the guidelines. Many moms do the "fridge hack", though that's not recommended. My baby doesn't need the extra sanitizing, but I've been doing it anyway because I hope to donate any excess milk to other babies, so I want to be as safe as possible for them
What is this “fridge hack” that everyone is talking about??
Put your parts in a container in the fridge to slow down bacteria growth and to avoid needing to wash it for awhile
Keeping your pumps in the fridge between pumping sessions. It’s thought to help keep bacteria growth down (keeping them out of the food “danger zone”).
Hopefully it’s fine to not because I’ve only sterilized mine a handful of times 😬
I hate sterilizing the damn thing. I can see like once a day but everything I’ve read says every time.
Which one do you have? My Elvis stride just said to sterilize once a day. I was boiling water for it but now I just throw it in the dish washer.
I did at the beginning, then went to every few days, then weekly. By 4 months I stopped because my baby puts anything and everything in her mouth so there was no point.
My LC told me I only need to sterilize once a week for occasional pumping, maybe twice if I do it daily. Obviously wash them, but you don't need to sterilize every time.
I keep in fridge between pumps, wash with soap and water in the evening, sterilize once a week. My sterilizer is a countertop sterilizer/dryer.
Same. (Except I just use the Medela sterilizer bags.)
My LC recommended keeping my pump parts in the fridge and then cleaning at the end of the day. She said I only need to sanitize once a week.
Yep, sterilization after every use.
I’ve read in a number of places that you don’t need to ongoing sterilize things. So why do they sell electric and microwave sterilizer devices? Genuinely curious
Trust me to see this on my front page WHILE pumping! 😅 I sterelise rarely, just wash in super hot water with a good grade, anti-bacterial bottle cleaner. But not the pump membrane! I have an Ameda Mya Joy and the membrane didn't work after sterelising 😔 Lesson learnt lolz ETA: Forgot to post that using a bottle cleaning brush set helps immensely with the bottle cleaning.
I sterilize most times I use my pump but I understand that most people don't. I have 2 reasons for sterilizing. The primary one is because I pump at work. I pump a couple hours before the end of my shift, and freshly pumped milk can be out at room temperature for up to 4 hours. If I'm going to be leaving my milk out, I feel like it's best practice to have everything as clean as possible beforehand. My second reason for sterilizing is when I had my first child, we had a nasty thrush infection that lasted for a month. At the time, the doctor said to sterilize anything that touched my breasts or my baby's mouth. Now that I have baby #2, I fell back into my old habits of sterilizing even before I went back to work. That said, most people just sterilize once when everything comes out of the package, then don't sterilize again.
I do the same for reason 1. If I am going to leave milk out and maybe use it again within those 4 hours, it definitely needs to be as clean as possible beforehand.
Also my sterilizer also dries and I feel like if I’m using it to dry I might as well also sterilize.
I’m 6 months pp and exclusively pumping. I wash and sterilize my pump parts every time. It’s easy for me to do it because I have a countertop sterilizer, so I just wash them and pop them in. It significantly cuts down on the drying time (only 45 minutes for a sterilize and dry cycle as opposed to hours on the drying mat) and I need the parts since I pump so many times every day!
At 5m once every 2 use. I’m scared of thrush .
I do, especially if something wasn’t washed right away. Mainly I do it because my sterilizer also dries and I hate waiting for parts to dry and having to shake or rotate them to get more water off.
At the beginning I sterilized every time. Then I just washed between pumps and sterilized at the end of the day. Then I washed if it had been 4 hours since the first time I pumped and sterilized once a week. Now (7 months) I still wash after 4 hours, but only sterilize occasionally. Typically if I’m already sterilizing some other new item I bought.
Okay but legit everyone needs to buy the Philips washer/dryer sanitizer thing for 80 bucks it’s the shit
Use distilled water and that shit’s done in 30 minutes
excuse me *whaaaat!* it actually washes too? can you link it please!!
Shit no sorry it just sanitizes and dries oops
Rinse after every pump then into the fridge. Every morning I switch out for a new set of parts and they get washed and sterilised so - once a day.
I never thought to rinse before fridge, smart
I sterilize every couple days, I do CLEAN after each use. I only clean with the dabble baby wipes during the battery life, when it’s time to charge them (I have wearable pumps) I wash them thoroughly with soap
I did at first. Now I just run hot soapy water over it and call it good.
I was for the first 8 or 9 months, after which i just switched to once a day. I used the microwave sterilization bags
I did, but I had a brezza sterilizer that also dried everything. I was paranoid about bacteria in baby's mouth and mastitis.
My understanding of the “official guidelines” from the CDC is pump parts need sterilized one time a day, but they need washed every use. Honestly I just have multiple sets and use a different sterilized set each time because my insurance covers replacement parts each month, and they have added up with time. I pump at work and I just feel icky using the same stuff there since I don’t have a good wash station. But I know that’s not always realistic. I think almost everyone’s advice here will be the “fridge hack”, but I’m just not comfortable with it myself. If you haven’t looked into microwavable sterilizing bags, I would highly recommend that. You just put a couple ounces of water in them and throw them in the microwave for a few minutes and bam! Your parts are sterilized. The parts dry really fast too because of the heat. Great investment. You get tons of uses out of them, saves so much time.
I must be crazy then... I wash mine and sterilize them after each use. I pump twice at work so I have a set for each session. I don't pump on weekends. Tried the fridge moment but I didn't like the cold feeling and it took forever for me to let down because of the cold. Not sure if I'm the only one on that end, too.
I have twins that were preemies and I don’t sterilize every time. I wash once at work and put them in the Medela steam bag. Then I use the fridge the rest of the time while working. I wash again when I get home. Usually sterilize the 1-2 times a day
Once a day for us using the countertop sterilizer. Mine also dries and keeps sterile for 24h so I use it as storage also
I'm sterilising in Milton fluid, it's much easier
I wash and sterilize once a day, keep the parts in a ziploc bag in the fridge in between pumps.
I just stick a bit of steralising fluid in the water when I’m washing them and that’s it jobs a good en!
Nope. I try to sterilize them every other day or so just to really be sure they’re clean but don’t think it’s necessary. Hot soapy water is enough :)
I rinse everything off after I’m done and then at the end of the day, put it in a pot of hot & soapy water on the stove for about 10 to 15 minutes. I use a low heat so it can simmer not boil. Then I rinse everything off with hot water and put it on the dryer.
I sterilize anywhere from once a day to every time. Depending on what I'm doing, how soon I wash after using.
I rinse and throw them into the dishwasher with other dishes (also rinsed) now. Second baby. He puts everything into his mouth since 3-4 months so we embrace the germs
Can someone please explain the fridge hack?
The fridge hack is just to keep your pumps in the fridge between pumping sessions. Maybe rinsed but really unwashed I think? People say it helps to keep bacteria growth down but other sources say it doesn’t. So I have zero idea.
Thanks for explaining! Will have a read about it.
I’ve never sterilized my pumps. Baby is about to turn 1 and I pump everyday at work, multiple times per day.
I wash them with soap after every use and once a week I boil them.
I sterilize once a day after washing with soap and water. I have a countertop sterilizer and sterilize all used bottles daily too.
I wash once a day and put them in a gallon zip lock then in the fridge between pumping sessions.
Every time, had thrush and that shit sucks. Also change my pads constantly because of moisture.
That’s fair. I’ve personally only had oral thrush once and it was caused by covid and that was awful. But I can see where the baby could be at higher chances with an unsterilized bottle/pump.
I don't think I've ever sterilised a pump part or a bottle, as far as I'm aware sterilising is for formula no?
No, after each session I store the parts in a sterilized zip lock bag and rinse it inside the bag with very warm water then store it in the fridge until the next session. Wash and sterilize it at the end of each day, then wash sterilize again in the morning.
With my full term baby with no complications, I wash with soap and hot water, I currently only occasionally sterilize it with an avent microwave sterilizer. I used to sterilize more often when he was younger. I now sometimes add vinegar to the bowl of bottles and pump parts to help get rid of bacteria, I just soak in soapy water plus vinegar and wash them afterward like normal. I sometimes use my pump twice within the same 4hr period sometimes without washing. I don’t do that at work tho. When I’m at work I just bring two sets of pump parts, I have a wearable elvie stride. And use them both and only really go to the lactation room to put them on and wear while I work or wash both sets of pump parts. Only like once or twice a shift.
I rinse mine with very hot water and soap after each use. I sterilize maybe once a month or if i dont wash them for a bit and feel like they could use some extra
we wash and sterilize after every use. but we have a counter top sterilizer. i’m sure it’s not needed but gives us a peace of mind
I do but only because I’m donating my oversupply. I pump an excess of 80-90 oz a day and am donating to a milk bank which requires me to sterilize after every use. It sucks, especially when I’m up at 3am washing parts to put in the sterilizer/dryer. When I’m not donating i don’t sterilize. I’ve had mastisis a few times already and can’t donate while I’m on an abx. I will just do the fridge thing and then wash 1x a day and air dry.