Mold in Medela Pump In Style!!!

[LisK]

I just found mold in the inside of my breast pump (the membranes - where the milk goes through). Not sure how long the mold has been there. I wash all the parts every time I use the pump in hot water but the mold was in a hidden place that I was clearly missing.

Should I throw out the milk I've pumped? What about the freezer stash? I go back to work next week this is so upsetting.

 

[Dk1234]

I think the freezer would kill anything like thT. I would reccomend the Medela sterilizer bags though.

 

[alaskagrown]

This recently happened to me. I'm not sure if it was mold or mildew, though. It was yellow in color and was found in the yellow membranes and the narrow crevice part on the connector piece. GROSS! Ever since, I've boiled my parts once per day and haven't had the problem since!!

Also, the tubes can get mold VERY easily and they're difficult, if not impossible, to clean out. After I'm done pumping, I leave the pump running for a few minutes so it can suck the moisture out of the tubes.

 

[alette]

The freezer will not kill the mold, so I wouldn't use the frozen milk, as sad as that is. You could also call the doctor or Medela and see what the recommend in this situation. Cleaning the mold out should be easy, just scrub and boil. If you get it in your tubes you can take them off and run hot soapy water through them, and scrub with a pipe cleaner. You can also boil them (but they will turn a milky white color and stay that way for a day or so.. Medela says this is harmless) or run rubbing alcohol through them to disinfect. The alcohol will also help it dry faster. You can spin the tubes quickly in your hand (like a jump rope sort of) to get the moisture out, or hook it up to the pump and leave it run till dry.

 

[leahsbabybump]

i wash and boil my pum in style advance bits every day no sign of any mould i have seen they also dont go white they all still look as good as new and have been washed and boiled everyday for a while

all the milk which has come into contact with the mould i would throw away as you dont want to risk gastroenteritis :-/ sad but best to be safe than sorry i had to throw a large amount away the other month as i forgot to refrigerate it i could have cried