Haakaa help

[poppyflower1803]

Hi!

Help!

Have I been doing this wrong?

I Use the Haakaa and the medela breast pump. I sterilise in the evening ready to be used the next morning to collect the morning milk. To sterilise, I put the medela parts in the medela microwave bags for three minutes, drain the water and leave them in there until use. Usually would be used the next day, within 24 hours, occasionally in the evening.

The Haakaa, I boil for 3 minutes, drain the water, then put it in a box which I have wiped down with Milton spray to be used the next morning.

I haven't been storing them in the fridge, and both of them remain wet as I have also read that drying the parts contaminate them. But equally, leaving them wet makes them prone to bacteria growth! The haakaa is usually pretty dry anyway as it dries quickly.

Can someone shed light on the do's and don'ts?

I don't pump very often, but have a small freezer stash and if I have been doing this wrong I will be very gutted not being able to use it 😬

Just very confused on the conflicting information. Some people don't even sterilise pump parts, some people use dishwasher, others once a day, others every time! But how are we meant to store it so it's safe?

And is the milk in the fridge ok to use?
Equally we have the mam bottles which remain sterile for 48 hours and they are all wet before use?

So confused! 😅
Thank you in advance

I have only used the hakaa pump. I used to wash it with warm soapy water then cold water sterilise (bowl of cold water with Milton tablet) for the directed time and then the solution in the bowl can be used to sterilise for 24 hours). No need to rinse, I would just pull it out, dry the outside of it quickly, and use. Or pull it out and leave on draining board then my DH would bring up in the morning if that's when I needed it. You can then store milk in the pump in the fridge but I would decant into a milk bag and put in fridge or freezer.

But yes I think you're fine doing it the way you are in terms of sterilising and the milk in the fridge is fine to use.

Thank you @wibblewobbleball that's so reassuring. Interesting to hear about the cold water sterilisation as I thought I read somewhere that wasn't recommended for the Haakaa but I much prefer cold water sterilisation as it's a lot easier! When I have to pump during the day for work, that's the method I will be using.