Cathy writes: The infection control specialist states that breastmilk(and
thus potential viral proteins) can survive and grow in sinks/drains, if not
properly disinfected between handwashings, thus be splashed back into the
hands of all those washing at the sink.  Has anyone heard of this ?

This makes no sense. Let's assume the care giver has bodily fluids on her
hands before washing. What's the difference between it being on her hands, washed
into the sink and then splashed back on the next person. Secondly, the risk
of transmission of anything via a microscopic drop of breastmilk has to be
infinitesimal. Sounds like this infectious control nurse just thinks breast milk
is yucky.  Our mothers wash their equipment in the handwashing sinks. We give
them a pink plastic basin to rinse in. We also wash all silicone nipples in the
handwashing sinks. There are no other sinks in our nurseries. Come to think
of it we wash the babies in pink basins and then pour the dirty water (which
could be contaminated with any number of bodily fluids) into the handwashing
sinks.

Kathy Boggs, RN, IBCLC

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