Breastfeeding equipment - sterilising

[Lemondrop99]

My newborn isn't latching well. We're working on it but in the mean time, I'm expressing. We we're cup feeding but it was driving us all to distraction so switched to bottles today, and everyone is happier for it.

Anyway, I've been told twice by the hospital feeding team that there is no need to sterilise equipment as there is only good bacteria in breastmilk. They said just a good wash in hot soapy water is enough.

However, the breast pump instructions say it should be sterilised once a day. The hospital feeding team consider this is just "arse covering". Lots of websites still say to sterilise.

Anyone know whether it is necessary? I mainly mean the Brest pump shield and bottles

I don’t think it’s necessary either. The reason you need to sterilise with formula is that there are sone pretty nasty bacteria’s that could kill.

I used to sterilise once a day as I couldn’t find a satisfactory answer online and when I was in hospital they had me doing that. I didn't to start with though and my DD was fine; I think I just got a bit paranoid

I've never heard of this. I thought you had to sterilize every time looks like I've been wasting a lot of bloody time for the past 4 weeks. At least I can relax a bit about it now

I would do it at least once a day. There are various studies out there, but a breast pump has lots of books and crannies, a sugary food source and is generally warm. Perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

I used to sterilised after every use when I expressed. I was washing it anyway so was minimal extra effort to chuck it in the electric steriliser afterwards.

*nooks and crannies

I used to sterilize the pump once a day and wash with hot soapy water in between. Bottles need sterilizing as normal.

I ee'd for 9 months. I sterilised everything for 6 months.

I sterilised once a day. When I was in hospital with DS they sterilised everything after every use.

I found the pump felt cleaner after a spin in the microwave steriliser. Only took 2 mins so it wasn't any great hassle.

Miltons IME leads silicon to degrade faster and left an unpleasant flavour in the milk. So I avoided it at all costs.

The instructions on my medela pump said to sterilise before every use so that's what I did! I have an electric steam steriliser so not too much of a hardship. I'd wash all the parts with soapy water before sterilising. Maybe I didn't actually need to do so after all...

Pumps do have lots of nooks and crannies as a PP said so I would probably still sterilise each time if I had my time over. Especially for a newborn. Not so much for an older baby.

You don't have to sterilise after each use, you can keep it in the fridge between uses! Breast milk keeps for 6 days in the fridge so you are ok to keep the pump in there. I sterilised it once a day though

Keep in sealed food bag/lock n lock in the fridge and sterilise once a day.

I sterilised after every use too....it was a bit of a faff when you also have the bottles etc but I'd probably do it that way again just in case

Dishwashed and sterilised daily, and before expressing to freeze. I've just run it all through the dishwasher in preparation for dc2, and bought brand new membranes.

I sterilised the bottles but just cleaned the pump in hot, soapy water. The U.K. is one of the few countries that sterilises anyway.