Taking Care of Your Breast Pump and Collection Kit

It is important to take care of your pump. With proper care, it can last the duration of your pumping experience:

• Read the instruction manual and follow the recommendations for cleaning the equipment.

• While cleaning the pieces that "collect" the milk, take apart any pieces that separate, and clean them individually. 

• If using an electric pump with collection kit, the pump itself and any tubing portion of the kit should remain dry or they will not work appropriately. (These pieces of equipment do not come in contact with milk that is to be stored for your baby.)

• After each use, rinse all parts that come in contact with the breast or milk in cool water first. (A cool rinse removes residual milk without coagulating hard-to-clean protein.) Then, thoroughly clean these same parts in hot, soapy water. Rinse in hot water, and air dry between each use.

• Some manufacturers recommend boiling the parts that come in contact with the breast or milk once a day. (Check the instruction manual for the care of your pump parts.)

• Check the instruction manual to learn whether a dishwasher set to a certain water temperature is considered appropriate for cleaning the collection pieces that come in contact with the breast or the milk.

• Some women prefer to sterilize their pump parts in microwave bags used for steaming. Make sure you use only approved bags for sterilizing pump parts, and follow the directions closely.