Exclusively Pumping

do you sterilize your pump parts?  how do you clean them?  i soak mine in hot soapy water every day, but never sterilize except for the first use if necessary....i've read that some do this often.  i also wash my bottles in hot soapy water with a brush versus the dishwasher since the dishwasher doesnt get up inside the bottles well due to the narrow openings.

also, how often do you change the membranes? 

I clean all my pump parts with a bottle brush and hot soapy water after each use.  I then put everything into my counter top sterilizer.  Pretty well 3 sets of parts and 4 bottles can fit in all at one time, so it's not really a big deal/job - having extra sets to use helps alot with cleaning stress! 

As for sterilizing, some do it often, others don't.  My doc recommends things be sterilized until about 4 months of age or so...or once your LO starts to put more in his/her mouth anyway.  I've also considered all that's going around this fall and feel more confident making sure everything is cleaned really well.

I generally tell when membranes have done their job based on feel since they tend to feel thinner and are more flexible once they have been used for a bit.  Usually by 2 months they are good for a change, but this also changes with the # of sessions.  I currently pump 7x's a day and have been doing so for about 6 weeks now and have noticed that mine are now getting pretty thin (I have 3 sets of them I use daily though).  I believe Medela suggests every 3 months, but that is more likely for part time pumpers, not constant use.

i put my pump parts in the fridge after use, and wash them once a day. sometimes it's in soapy water, other times if i'm running the dishwasher i'll throw them in there.

i'm not worried about sterilization since breast milk has antibacterial properties. i do make sure to wash my hands before each pumping session, however.

Mommy to Ian Taiwai (born 4/26/07) and new baby sister Ashelia Ngaimei (10/07/09).