Mastering the Art of Breast Pump Cleaning

Welcoming a newborn into your life is a joyous occasion, but it also comes with its fair share of responsibilities, especially for breastfeeding mothers. Keeping your breast pump clean is crucial to ensure the health and safety of both you and your baby. In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps of cleaning your breast pump, with a special focus on incorporating a UV steriliser for an extra layer of protection.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Before you begin cleaning your breast pump, make sure you have all the necessary supplies on hand:

• Dish soap or a specialized breast pump cleaning solution
• Bottle brush
• UV sterilizer

Step 2: Disassemble Your Breast Pump

Carefully disassemble your breast pump into its individual components, including the breast shields, valves, membranes, bottles, and any other detachable parts. Refer to your pump's instruction manual for guidance on how to dismantle each piece properly.

Step 3: Rinse with Warm Water

Rinse all the components under warm running water to remove any leftover breast milk or residue. Use a bottle brush to scrub hard-to-reach places, ensuring that every nook and cranny is thoroughly cleaned.

Step 4: Wash with Soap

Create a soapy solution using mild dish soap or a specialized breast pump cleaning solution. Submerge all the components in the soapy water and use a bottle brush to scrub each part. Pay close attention to areas that come into direct contact with breast milk, as these are more prone to bacterial buildup.

Step 5: Rinse Again

After washing, rinse all the components under running water to remove any soap residue. Ensure that there is no soapy taste or smell lingering on the breast pump parts.

Step 6: Sterilise Using a UV Steriliser

Now, let's elevate your cleaning routine by incorporating a UV steriliser. UV sterilisers use ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, providing an additional layer of protection for your breast pump.

• Place the disassembled breast pump parts in the UV steriliser with bottles facing upright and with a small amount of space between parts.
• Close the steriliser and select the sterilisation cycle. 'Auto' sterilise and dry your items.
• Once the cycle is complete, allow the components to cool before handling them.

Using a UV sterilizer adds peace of mind, as it effectively eliminates harmful germs without the need for chemicals or excessive heat.

And our best tip for busy mums??

If you are pumping several times a day or night, simply seal your breast pump parts in a sterile ziplock bag and place in the back of the fridge between pump sessions then do your big clean at the end of the day/in the morning! Bacteria won't build on your pump parts while they are in the fridge over the a 12 hour period! Enjoy!

Maintaining a clean breast pump is essential for the health and well-being of both you and your baby. By following these steps and incorporating a UV steriliser into your routine, you can ensure that your breast pump remains a safe and hygienic tool for providing nourishment to your little one. Happy pumping!