Caring for Your Medela Breast Pump: Tips & Tricks to Keep Your Pump like New

I am currently nursing and pumping for my second child. My Medela breast pump was manufactured in 2006 and still runs well. Purchasing a well made pump can be expensive, but I have found some tips and tricks to keeping your pump running well.

One of the tricks I use to try and prolong the life of my pump is to only use it when my baby and I are apart. If we are together, I try and nurse. I use my pump for the times that I am at work or out away from my baby. If you can reduce the amount of wear and tear on the pump, you can prolong its lifespan.

As for maintenance of your pump and cleaning, I've found you have to be diligent in cleaning it. I was not paying attention one time while pumping; milk overfilled the bottle and found its way back into the tubing. The Medela tubing began to grown moldy and eventually spread throughout the entire tubes. You can boil the tubes in hot water on the stove, or you can use a Medela microwave stream clean bag - but both of these methods will only kill the mold. The tubes will remain cloudy and black, which always grossed me out! You can order a variety of pump parts for Medela breast pumps at a variety of online stores. You can purchase new tubes and parts through amazon.com or Medela.com. I have also found that many baby stores, like Babies R Us carry replacement parts. By simply replacing a part or two, you can save yourself from having to replace the entire pumping unit.

Another tip that I have found is when you are finished pumping, I've found the best cleaning comes from hand washing the pump parts. I have tried using the wipes they sell and they do not clean as well as plain old soap and water. One of the ways I keep everything clean is by totally disconnecting all of the parts and hand wash each of them separately. One time I made a huge mistake by putting some of the parts in the dishwasher and many of the parts melted and were destroyed. For longevity, hand washing is the gentlest option and really allows you to inspect how clean they are.

One of my last tips is to use the manufacturer support. I was having an issue with my pump and I called Medela. You can find email and phone support numbers on their homepage. They offered free phone support and helped me fix an issue I was having with my pump.

Pumping for your baby can be a lot of work, but with a few tips and tricks, you can keep your breast pump in perfect working condition!