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Subject:
From:
Becky Krumwiede <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 26 Apr 1995 23:31:30 EDT
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Last night I read all the comments about used pump parts and possible disease
transmission a bit nervously and have spent time today considering my practices.
Am I really the only one out here that does this, or the only one foolish enough
to admit it?  Several years ago I bought two of the fairly cheap, readily
available steam sterilizers after reading the manufacturers data, one for home
and one for the hospital.  I thought I had found a good solution to the issue of
infection control.

The hospital OB unit I work in is quite supportive of helping mothers after
discharge.  I see a LOT of outpatients, usually not as formal consults but a lot
of short problem-solving visits (at no charge).  Using the electric breastpump
is often helpful to entice a reluctant baby to latch on or to help a mother who
arrives back on our doorstep massively engorged, or to assess how much milk is
left in the breast after an inadequate feeding.  I keep a drawer-full of
resterilized pump parts for such occasions when the mother doesn't have hers
with her.  Staff who forget part of their equipment, or lactating visitors of
critically ill hospital patients who never thought to bring their pump have
foraged in my drawer on occasion.

I do all my own washing of pump parts so I can be comfortable that no milk is
left when it goes into the sterilizer, and the parts air dry under towels in my
office until they go into clean plastic bags.  After looking at the
manufacturer's data again today, and reading the information available in
Lawrence's and Riordan & Auerbach's texts, I'm fairly comfortable that any
bacteria, candida and HIV virus is killed.  What I didn't find out is what it
takes to kill Hepatitis B, a concern expressed by others.  I hope someone out
there knows this or has the resources to look it up and can share the
information.

I can understand the liability issue for those of you in private practice, but
what do the rest of you who are hospital-based do?  We don't charge individually
for supplies, so when someone returns who needs breast shells, lanolin, etc., I
just give it to them.  I'd hate to think I'd need to start buying disposable
kits to distribute, but of course I would if it's truly necessary.

I also keep a resterilized pump kit for emergency use in the pumping rooms at my
Sanvita program, and occasionally give away a (resterilized) used kit to a pump
client who is truly in financial need.  Please tell me I'm not the only one
doing this!

Becky Krumwiede
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