Everything you need to follow the new guidelines from the CDC for cleaning your breast pump kit whether you’re pumping milk occasionally, pumping at work, or pumping exclusively.
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Did you hear the big news that the Center for Disease Control released new guidelines for properly cleaning your breast pump? For pumping mamas, this is a big deal! The CDC provides step-by-step instructions that will keep your breast pump and accessories safe for daily use. In this post, I’ll provide a list of everything you need to follow these important recommendations.
Keep Your Pump Clean To Protect Your Baby
When I was pumping, my husband took on the responsibility of cleaning the pump parts and maintaining our bottle station. I know he took careful precautions to sanitize everything after each use. I rarely cleaned the parts at all because he took care of the process for me. If you can enlist your partner to do the same, I highly recommend it! If you’re new to pumping, posting these instructions from the CDC near your bottle station could be helpful. I also kept the suggested time charts for my bottle warmer posted at the bottle station.
Read the CDC’s Instructions and print out their useful graphic here
As I read the new CDC guidelines, I was reminded of how important it is to be vigilant about properly cleaning breast pump parts, especially for newborns. From the detailed instructions, it becomes clear that cleaning pump parts in the dishwasher on a sanitize setting is the easiest way to go about the cleaning process. That said, be sure to check if your particular pump parts and feeding supplies are dishwasher safe! Washing and sanitizing your pump parts by hand is definitely still possible, but more time-consuming. We all know breastfeeding can be time intensive!
Supplies You’ll Need to Clean Your Pump
I’ve compiled a list of things you’ll need to clean your pump kit according to the new CDC guidelines.
If you find mold in your tubing you’ll need to replace it immediately. It’s a good idea to have extra tubing on hand in your pumping bag. (*I used a Medela Pump in Style Advanced, so these are the tubes that are made for that specific pump. You will need to find the tubes that correspond to your specific pump.)
You’ll use these to clean pump dials, power switch, and the countertop before pumping. This is especially important if you are using a shared pump.
Milk Collection Bottle AND Milk Collection Bags
When cared for properly, these are safe containers for storing your expressed breastmilk.
Your milk collection bottle or bags should be labeled with name, date, and time, then placed directly into the refrigerator, freezer, or cooler bag.
This is a necessary item for safely storing collected milk when you do not have immediate access to a refrigerator or freezer. I often packed my cooler bag for days away from home.
Store pump parts that need to be cleaned in these disposable bags if you do not have immediate access to a dishwasher or a sanitized wash basin. Be sure to clean and sanitize everything thoroughly as soon as possible!
Wash Basin (2)
Pump parts can be cleaned in a dishwasher. If a dishwasher is unavailable you’ll need a designated wash basin to use for your pump parts and infant feeding items exclusively. You’ll need another designated wash basin for rinsing. The key is to remember not to wash your pump parts directly in the sink.
I used Method dishwasher soap to clean my pump parts & bottles.
Bottle Brush (for Bottles & Pumping Parts Only!)
The CDC recommends using a wash brush that is designated for cleaning pump parts and infant feeding items only. We liked this one because it has a built-in nipple brush.
Clean Dish Towel OR Clean Paper Towel
After washing, the CDC instructs us to let pump parts air dry on a clean dish towel or paper towels. Also, they do not recommend patting or rubbing these items dry.
Cleaning Pump Parts in the Dishwasher
If you’re cleaning pump parts in the dishwasher you’ll need a Closed Top Basket OR Mesh Laundry Bag. This basket will safely hold pump parts in the dishwasher and has high ratings on Amazon. These affordable mesh bags are another dishwasher-safe option.
Simple Sanitizing
I like to sanitize daily using these sanitizing bags which gave me so much peace of mind. They’re incredibly easy to use and get the job done quickly.
Next Step: Breastmilk Storage
You’ll want to consider how to store breastmilk safely. The CDC recommends storing clean and dry pump parts in a sealed container, such as one of these bags. They’re easy to carry in your pump bag because they’re disposable and take up little space compared to hard containers.
The CDC’s new guidelines on how to properly clean breast pump parts are intended to protect babies from unnecessary or dangerous illnesses. I know we’re all doing all we can to keep our children healthy. I hope that by compiling this list of necessary items to implement the CDC’s guidelines, I can help you meet your breastfeeding goals.
For comprehensive information about breastfeeding, I can’t recommend Lactation Link enough! Their three video bundle provides tons of information for new moms who want to be successful at breastfeeding from the start.
My name is Kate and I live in a California beach town with my husband & baby girl. At High Low Baby, I review baby products at high and low price points.
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