Breast pump sterilising - what counts as a session?

[PurpleCurtain]

My son is 2 weeks old and I'm pumping for about 50% of his feeds (as advised by the hospital given initial issues latching on).

I'm a bit confused about breast pump sterilisation though - in general I try to put parts in the dishwasher and then steriliser after each pumping session, but my question is, how do you define a pumping session? What seems to happen is that I pump from boob #1, then my son cries and needs picking up or feeding for 15-30 minutes before I manage to get round to boob #2. Am I okay to leave my pump (inc milk from boob #1) on the side during these 15-30 minutes? I don't typically feel like I have the time to get up and go put the bottle in the fridge etc and often don't have a pre sterilised one ready to resume afterwards. And if this isn't fine...where do you draw the line in terms of the amount of time it's okay for the pump to be out and exposed to the air?!

Er. Well. I sterilised mine once a day max.

But yes, you're totally okay to leave your milk on the side for that time. And I would say a "session" is full extraction from both boobs.

I worked on the principle that as breastmilk is fine on the side for 6hrs, anything within that would be fine. I pumped whilst my child was tube fed and I sterilised before each pump session so roughly every 3/4hrs, but if I had to stop in the middle I just picked up where I'd left off.

You could always get a cold water steriliser (literally a bucket with some water and some Milton) and have it on the side so then every time you finish with pump you could give it a wash then put it in the sterilising solution. I had a steam steriliser for my first baby but then did this for my next two. Just removes a load of the hassle and faff.

But actually rereading your post leaving on the side for 30 mins should be fine I think!

I rarely sterilised pump parts. Just washed and dried them. The NHS still advise sterilising but most breastfeeding organisations say it's not necessary and hot soapy water is just fine. And you can leave breast milk out for like 5 hours and it's still fine!

I was always told to put pump parts in a ziplock bag at the back of the fridge and I used it all day long. Never had any problems. You don't need to sterilise after each use. Pumping is so much work don't create more for yourself unless you have to.

Thanks everyone these replies are a big relief, it is indeed hard work but feels worth it when it means I can share the night feeds with DH!

You can keep all the parts that come into contact with milk in the fridge when not pumping and just wash it all/sterilise once per day.

@Changethatname81

You can keep all the parts that come into contact with milk in the fridge when not pumping and just wash it all/sterilise once per day.

This is what I did. Put everything in the fridge when not in use and washed and sterilised once a day.

I only ever cleaned and sterilised it once a day. Just put in ziploc bag in fridge in between. It's a pain, so no reason to make things harder than they have to be.

You don't need to sterilise any items used with breaatmilk if baby was born full term and healthy, washing with warm soapy water after use is fine.