How to keep bottles/pumping equipment sterile?

[Cardiffclare88]

I’ve just begun expressing milk for DD, so far just hand expressing directly into storage bags. Bought a Haakaa pump as well and boiled it, must I boil it before each use? Also a couple of bottles (glass), must the be boiled immediately or is it alright if it’s been done within a day or so? Just for the occasional feed , will continue to give breasts primarily. Where do you store supplies once cleaned? Haven’t got a steriliser or microwave.

I was advised my a breastfeeding specialist midwife that the pump does not need to be sterilised between uses. We were advised (and did this) to keep the pump in the back of the fridge between uses. Breast milk contains such high levels of antibodies that as long as it's kept in the fridge between uses it will be fine.
We did this and had no problems at all

Thanks, did you store it in any sort f container or just open to air @GrandmaSharksDentures? We’ve got a tiny fridge...

You don't need to sterilise bottles or pumps at all. Just wash them with soap and water and leave on the side to dry. No need to keep it in the fridge.

You can obviously store milk in the fridge for a few days and in the freezer for a few months. Kellymom has more details on how long milk can be stored at different temperatures.

kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/milkstorage/

We just put the pump straight into the fridge, no extra container. We would wash it with soap & water every other day & put it back it the fridge. The back of the fridge is usually the coldest part

Thank you. Do you do the same for bottles or are they alright to be washed with soap and hot water?

I'd sterilise the bottles and lids - Milton is good or if you are only using occasionally then get a microwave steriliser bag

We sterilised bottles (for 6 months) after washing them simply because they wouldn't be filled & in the fridge straight away

You only need to sterilise them before you use them for the first time, after that they just need washing in hot soapy water. Sterilising is needed for things that come into contact with formula because of the bacteria in formula. Breast milk is sterile so sterilising things is unnecessary and a waste of time.

I never sterilised bottles. Used to pump, put milk in milk storage bags in either fridge or freezer and just wash the pump bits that touched the milk with hot soapy water