Stupid question re expressing

[Redhead79]

As the title says probably a stupid question but should you sterilise the bottle you're expressing into? Was planning on building up a little store in the freezer for emergencies so will be transferring the milk into bags.

[scandichick]

Yep (although it's probably enough to wash it in hot water with plenty of suds, too). If you buy milk bags they'll be sterile.

[PlumpFiction]

Yes, sterilise the bottle you're expressing into. Pumping directly into special milk storage bags is easy and avoids having to transfer anything though.

You also need to sterilise some of the pump parts - the manual with your pump should say what to do.

[BumWad]

Yes

[Ughnotagain]

Plump how do you express straight into the bag? I can't imagine how it would work

[PlumpFiction]

Sorry I've just seen your question.

I used Medela breast milk bags which have sort of a sticky tape that you can loop over the pump part that would normally screw onto the top of a bottle. The milk goes straight into the bag, you just squeeze out the air and freeze or refrigerate - not a drop wasted

[mrswishywashy]

The hospital I delivered in eight weeks ago advised just washing all expressing equipment in hot soapy water, rinse in hot water and dry with paper towel. I only sterilise bottles if they've had formula in them.

[Ughnotagain]

Plump ahh I'll have to look for those. I usually use a bottle and then decant into bags, but cutting out a step would be a good thing!

[Doublebubblebubble]

Seconing wishywashy. My (now 9 week old) son was hospitalised 2 weeks ago for bronchiolitis and i had to express feeds for him to go through a feeding tube it was fudging horrible!! but I didn't have to sterilise anything.. Nurses all said to Just wash with warm soapy water

[KatyBeau]

Another question from me. If you are getting small amounts all through the day, I presume it's ok to keep the bottle in the fridge and keep topping it up until you get the amount you need? Not sure whether you should only keep one day's worth of milk together and start a fresh one each day, or can you keep adding to it over a couple of days? I only get small amounts at rah pumping.

[villainousbroodmare]

That's what I did, but don't freeze in too large amounts. 100ml is plenty. You can always defrost another if needed. My 5 m/o DS is starting solids now and I'm freezing in 30ml amounts to add to a little potato or cereal.

[PlumpFiction]

I think "best practice" is to not mix the temperatures of milk, so don't express straight into a bottle/bag that's been chilled. My memory is a bit sketchy on this particular question so best thing I can do is direct you to Kellymom - an absolutely amazing source of information and advice for breastfeeding, expressing, etc. There's a website and Facebook community iirc. It was my go-to place with all kinds of obscure queries that no-one else could answer!!

[kittyvet]

Get medals sterilising bags for microwave- don't splash out on bottle steriliser. I found pumping was tedious and my little girl never really took to the bottle so our pumping was sporadic at best! Glad I didn't girl out for steriliser on top of pump!

[kittyvet]

Girl= fork!!!

[ICJump]

You don't need to sterilise for breastmilk as it's anti bacterial. You do need to hot soap wash things. Once dry putting them in a clean container in the fridge helps keep bacteria at bay.
If you want store several expressing sessions worth you need to place subsequent milk into the fridge to bring it down to the se temp as the first milk.

[PlumpFiction]

I second what kitty said about bags for the microwave - I never bought a steriliser. Or, if you have a microwave steamer you can even use that to produce the same effect.

I didn't know about not having to sterilise things if it's just for breast milk - although I did sometimes just put them through the dishwasher as US advice is that a dishwasher is sufficiently hot anyway I believe, and I figured they would probably be quite cautious about such things.

[ICJump]

Yep no need to sterilise as breastmilk dies not carry the same bacteria risk as formula
expressing info from Australian breastfeeding association

[Redhead79]

Thanks for your your advice. I was going to ask about the topping small amounts too so all very helpful.