{"id":773359,"date":"2019-06-20T23:50:33","date_gmt":"2019-06-21T04:50:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.bumpboxes.com\/?p=773359"},"modified":"2022-06-14T14:11:06","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T19:11:06","slug":"cdc-releases-new-guidelines-on-cleaning-breast-pumps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bumpboxes.com\/blog\/cdc-releases-new-guidelines-on-cleaning-breast-pumps\/","title":{"rendered":"CDC releases new guidelines on cleaning breast pumps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re a mom who breastfeeds and uses a pump for pumping milk, you know how much of a pain it is to clean the whole kit. Turns out a low milk supply<\/a> isn’t the only thing to worry about when it comes to pumping. But if you slack off on cleaning your breast pump appropriately, there could be tragic consequences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A premature infant contracted the rare but serious Cronobacter <\/em>infection and the situation prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue new cleaning guidelines<\/a> that teach moms how to care for the pump parts. The guidelines walk moms through exactly what they should do and how often. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what do the guidelines say?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New guidelines say parts should be cleaned after each use<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it\u2019s time-consuming, but the CDC guidelines state that breast pump parts should be cleaned after each use. In addition, you should wash your hands before handling the parts or any pumped milk, and have a dedicated brush and wash basin that\u2019s only used for the pump parts. Let them air dry when you\u2019re done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For extra cleanliness, boil or steam the parts to sanitize (or run them through a dishwasher set on sanitize). The mom whose premature infant contracted the infection reportedly left her pump soaking in soapy water and didn\u2019t return to rinse it off until hours later. This left the parts sitting in water, which was a breeding ground for germs. Samples of bacteria from the home were found on the pump parts, in the sink, and in the milk that had been pumped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are *these* pump cleaning hacks even safe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some moms have learned that rather than clean pumps after every use, they can just store the parts in the refrigerator. While it might be ok to store parts in the fridge in between uses if the kit isn\u2019t contaminated, cleaning it each time is still recommended for the safety of your baby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what about quick-use wipes? Do these work for moms who work and may not have access to a clean sink for washing pump parts? The CDC says wipes cannot reach all parts of the pump and, because of this, cleaning by hand or using a dishwasher is your safest bet. If you can\u2019t do that, consider having duplicate parts you can swap out until you get home to clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TL;DR: The CDC guidelines offer these tips as the best way to clean pump parts<\/strong>…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n