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8 Tips for Washing Baby Bottles and Breast Pump Parts

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Are you overwhelmed with all of the baby bottles and other infant feeding gear you need to wash? Trying to find the best way to clean and store everything? Here are 8 tips for washing baby bottles and pump parts.

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Here’s how to wash your breast pump parts and baby bottles in the easiest possible (and safe!) way.

1. Take everything apart before washing

This might be obvious to experienced pumping moms, but I did not actually know I was supposed to take breast pump parts apart to clean them when I came home from the hospital. I just sort of kept them assembled and washed them the best that I could for the first week.

This isn’t how you are supposed to do it. Before you wash infant feeding items, take everything apart.

Note: You don’t need to wash your tubing every time. More on this here.

2. Use a wash basin and a dedicated bottle brush

The CDC recommends washing pump parts and bottles in a wash basin rather than directly in the sink in order to avoid contamination with any bacteria that might be there. They also recommend using a bottle brush that is only used for infant feeding items.

You can get a wash basin on amazon for less than $10. If you need one for washing pump parts at work, you may want to get a collapsible one.

3. Wash bottles and pump parts in hot soapy water

When you’re ready to wash everything, fill up your wash basin with hot, soapy water.

It’s important to use the bottle brush to get the soap on all of the parts (versus just soaking and rinsing). If you have breast pump parts that are a struggle to get to with your brush, try getting a set with smaller pieces like this one. They can be especially helpful for breast shield connectors.

4. Does your drying rack take up your whole counter? Make it vertical.

After you’re done washing your pump parts, you can set them out to air dry.

When I was exclusively pumping, bottles and pump parts took up my entire counter. If this is your current experience, you can make your drying rack vertical using a three tier cooling rack like this.

Image courtesy Meg Faggella

5. Use vinegar to get stubborn fat off of bottle nipples

Do you find that the nipples of your bottles are cloudy? Sometimes, breast milk fat residue can stick to them no matter how many times you wash them.

To get it off, you can submerge the nipples in a vinegar/water solution (10 parts water to 1 part white vinegar).

Soak them for 30 minutes, and then wash the nipples with soap and hot water.

6. Sterilize pump parts and bottles regularly

The CDC recommends sterilizing pump parts and bottles once a day for babies who are under three months old, who are sick, or who were premature.

If your baby doesn’t fall into one of these categories, it’s fine to sterilize a bit less often.

There are a bunch of ways that you can sterilize your infant feeding gear – a tabletop sterilizer, a microwave bag, boiling them, etc.

More information on each of these methods here.

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7. Wash bottles and pump parts in batches

When you’re pumping 8-10 times per day, it can get exhausting to be constantly standing over the sink washing bottles and pump parts.

If you can, I would recommend getting a few extra sets of everything you need, and then washing them all at once.

In the past, I put breast pump parts in a zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator between uses. However, the CDC now recommends washing pump parts in between each use. More info on this here.

8. Consider using your dishwasher to cut down on washing time

Another option to make the washing process easier is using the dishwasher to wash all of your gear.

Put infant feeding items on the top rack, and put smaller things like breast pump parts and nipples in a mesh bag (like this one) or other container. (Be sure to check your breast pump instruction manual to confirm that everything is dishwasher-safe.)

An added benefit of using the dishwasher is that if yours has a heated drying cycle, that will also take care of the sterilizing step.

I hope these tips for washing baby bottles and pump parts are helpful! Let me know if you have any other tips or questions in the comments!

posted in: Bottle Feeding Breast Milk, Pumping Tips

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How Often Should You Be Replacing Your Baby Bottles & Nipples?

The answer may surprise you! Since bottles and bottle nipples are used, cleaned and sanitized almost daily, you can expect to observe some wear and tear sooner than you may think. Deterioration of the nipple or bottle can result in concerns with both safety and function. Because bottles and nipples can be essential for daily feeding and nourishment, it’s important that parents and caregivers are routinely monitoring their conditions to ensure hygiene and safety. 

What to look for
According to The Health Site, bottles and bottle parts should be regularly checked for signs of cracking, scratches, leaking and discoloration. Bottle nipples should be checked for breaks, tears, discoloration, swelling and thinning. A thinning or over stretched nipple opening will have a forceful (rather than controlled drops) flow when turned over. Breaks or tears can lead to choking hazards. Baby center notes that germs and mold can survive in parts of the nipples or bottles that are damaged even after being sterilized, which can be compromising to a baby’s health. Try to monitor conditions each time you clean the bottle or bottle parts. It’s best to discard them and replace with new ones if you notice any potential hazards.

When should bottles & bottle nipples be replaced?
The Health Site suggests that if you are regularly monitoring your bottles for wear but they happen to be in good condition, a general rule is to replace nipples every 2 months on average. Nipples need to be replaced more often because silicone or latex materials are more prone to damage from feeding, cleaning and sterilization processes. It is recommended that bottles be replaced every 4-6 months. Glass bottles may not need to be replaced as frequently if they’re in good condition.

Bottle care
Proper maintenance and care can increase the safety and longevity of your bottles. According to the CDC, bottles and bottle pieces should be taken apart and cleaned thoroughly after each feeding. If you are using a dishwasher, be sure to rinse bottles prior to placing them in the dishwasher. If you prefer to hand wash, be sure to clean bottles & parts by rising with soap and water. Avoid soaking bottles or leaving them in the sink since this can cause mold or bacteria to form. Air-drying is recommended in order to prevent germs and mold from breeding. Once bottles are dry it’s best to store them in a safe space like a cabinet. Eventually it will be necessary to replace your bottles & parts even if you’ve been careful. Be sure to check the website of the bottle company before buying a completely new set. Some bottle companies have replacement kits available on their website so that you can easily replace bottles, bottle parts or nipples instead of buying an entirely new set.

Written by Christine Pollack, OTR/L

References

Cdc.gov. 2020. How To Clean, Sanitize, And Store Infant Feeding Items | Healthy Childcare | Hygiene | Healthy Water | CDC. [online] Available at: <https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/healthychildcare/infantfeeding/cleansanitize.html> [Accessed 20 December 2020].

Arora, D., 2020. How Often Should You Replace Your Baby’S Feeding Bottle? | Thehealthsite.Com. [online] Thehealthsite.com. Available at: <https://www.thehealthsite.com/parenting/how-often-should-you-replace-your-babys-feeding-bottle-d0116-361453/> [Accessed 20 December 2020].

BabyCenter. 2020. Bottle-Feeding: When To Replace Nipples And Bottles | Babycenter. [online] Available at: <https://www.babycenter.com/baby/breastfeeding/bottle-feeding-when-to-replace-nipples-and-bottles_1129505> [Accessed 28 December 2020].

BabyCenter India. 2020. My Baby's Bottle, Nipple And Sipper Have Mould. Is It Safe To Use Them Once Cleaned?. [online] Available at: <https://www.babycenter.in/x1050506/my-babys-bottle-nipple-and-sipper-have-mould-is-it-safe-to-use-them-once-cleaned> [Accessed 20 December 2020].

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