# Do pump parts need to be totally dry before using?



## lulutattoo (Nov 24, 2008)

Hi all,

Just wondering--after I wash my breast pump parts, do they need to be completely dry before using again? I'm pumping about 3 or 4 times a day, and they never air dry between sessions. It's impossible to get to the inside of the part that the milk drips through (with the little rubber flap), and difficult to get a towel down into the collection bottles to fully dry them either.

Will this little bit of water cause the expressed milk to go bad?

I'm assuming it's not a problem, but all the cleaning guidelines I can find on the web say to fully dry the parts between pumping sessions.

Thanks much!
Anna


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## Mommy2Teagan (Nov 2, 2008)

I wonder about this all of the time!







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## Kappa (Oct 15, 2007)

I don't worry much about whether the pump parts are dry, I've been pumping daily (2-4x) for about 5 months, and the baby has never been ill from any kind of hygiene issue with my pumping. If it really concerns you, you can buy an extra set of parts so that you can rotate. When you get brave/bold/busy in the future, you can also just leave the entire assembly in the refrigerator, and not wash the parts at all in between pumping sessions. I usually only was the parts every other pumping session. I think I read that tip here on MDC, and it has helped me not get overly tired of pumping/washing cycle.


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## lildevilgrrrl (Sep 25, 2006)

I never worry about them drying and I pumped for about a year with my first and have now been pumping again for 6 months and it's never been a problem. I've also done the fridge between pumping trick many many times.


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## Emily's Mama (Apr 22, 2007)

I exclusively pumped with DD1 and read that parts can be rinsed with cold water, covered and put back in the fridge. Then maybe once/day to give them a good clean/sterilise. I did this for over a year with no issues.

I guess if you live in an area of the world where the water quality is questionable or regularly gives people diseases, then obviously it might be different and you'd probably use bottled or boiled water anyway.


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## CathMac (Jan 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Emily's Mama* 
I exclusively pumped with DD1 and read that parts can be rinsed with cold water, covered and put back in the fridge. Then maybe once/day to give them a good clean/sterilise. I did this for over a year with no issues. ...

I was lazy. I pumped in an office setting and I would put my unwashed, unrinsed bottles in the fridge in between pumpings. It was a big time saver. Sometimes if I didn't get much in one session I would leave that milk in the bottles, store upright (in a Rubbermaid casserole dish, on one of the fridge door shelves) and then combine it with the milk from my next pumping.

Regarding whether the bottles, tubings etc. should be fully dried after cleaning and before the next pumping, ideally they should be. But every once in awhile I would see a trace amount of water and I never had a problem.

~Cath


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