What is the Fridge Hack?

To save time, some mothers will skip washing their pump parts with soap and water after each use, and instead, place the parts in a clean, sealed bag in the fridge between pumping sessions. Then, fully clean their pump parts at the end of the day.

What is Recommended?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and most breast pump manufacturers recommend cleaning pump parts thoroughly after every use to help protect babies from germs.1 No research shows whether rinsing, wiping or storing pump parts in the refrigerator between pumping sessions effectively limits the growth of bacteria and is a safe alternative to washing.1 Infants have become ill from contaminated milk due to bacteria growing on pump parts that were not cleaned properly.2

If you choose to refrigerate pump parts between pumping sessions, keep the parts in a clean, sealed bag to prevent contamination. If the infant is younger than 2 months or has a compromised immune system, proper cleaning of pump parts after each use and sanitizing at least once daily is especially important.1