I have seen some very nasty looking parts due to inappropriate cleaning but
the worst I saw was the mom who exclusively pumped and bottled fed (her
choice).  She contacted me due to an odd sore spot on her areola that
appeared one day out of nowhere.  Baby was about 6 months old at the time.
Over a period of a week it kept getting worse.  I told her to come see me
and to talk to the Doctor.  She decided she didn't want to bother with the
Dr. since her HCP had been very negative about BF in general.  I took one
look at her breast and told her to go see someone NOW - she had a staph
infection.  Scary looking wound that in one weeks time went from a small
paper-cut type wound to a large at least 2 inch diameter hole in her breast.
It took a couple weeks to heal and left a nasty scar.

 

I looked at her parts and they had gunk in not only the valve and membrane
but also in the flange!  I asked her how she cleaned her parts.  Once a day.
She pumped 8-10 times per day and only washed them once - never taking the
valve and membrane off.  She has 7 kids to care for so decided she could do
without that cleaning step.

 

Needless to say she changed her cleaning habits.and I use it as an example
to those moms who want to clean once or twice a day only because it just
takes so much time.  The moms who pump at work want to know how to get
around the time factor.  I explain that they really need to at least rinse
well and use the clean-wipes designed for such things.  (Like Medela band)
Cleanliness is such an important factor.

 

Jaye Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM

Breastfeeding Network

Sacramento, CA

www.breastfeedingnetwork.net

 


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