How Often To Replace Breast Pump Parts
As a commencement-time mom, I remember being and so overwhelmed when I opened the box to my breast pump. In that location is a lot to know well-nigh this new machine, from learning how to gather the breast pump to making sure it's properly cleaned afterwards each utilise. When learning nearly your breast pump, it'southward also crucial to know when to replace chest pump parts!
Many moms aren't aware of the demand to replace breast pump parts, but information technology's vital for keeping your breast pump working correctly and efficiently.
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When To Replace Breast Pump Parts
The timing in when you need to supercede your breast pump parts goes manus-in-hand with how oftentimes you lot pump.
If y'all exclusively pump, which is pumping four or more times a day, and so you volition demand to change your chest pump parts more frequently than if yous pump once or twice a solar day.
Hither'south how oft you should replace each breast pump part:
When To Replace Breast Shields
Breast shields, or flanges, are the part of your pump that attaches to your breast. Because breast shields come in multiple sizes, you will want to ensure you lot are using the correct size. This commodity from Medela is perfect for helping you determine what size you need!
If you are exclusively pumping, yous volition want to replace your breast shields near every vi months. Otherwise, you tin can replace them equally needed. You will want to supersede your breast shields immediately if you observe any warping or cracking in the plastic.
When To Replace Shield Connectors
Shield connectors are the parts that connect your breast shields to your tubing, valves, and milk collection bottles.
Similar chest shields, replace shield connectors about every 6 months if you lot are exclusively pumping. If you pump less than four times a day, you can replace them when needed.
Besides, yous will want to replace your shield connectors immediately if you lot notice whatsoever warping or cracking in the plastic.
When To Replace Breast Pump Valves
Valves are the part of your chest pump that helps create the suction that brings your breastmilk out.
At that place are a couple of unlike valves, depending on what blazon of breast pump you have. If you take a Medela pump, yous will most probable have hard plastic valves that need membranes to create suction. If you have a Spectra pump, you will take soft silicone valves called duckbill valves.
Duckbill Valves
Duckbill valves are made of silicone, which means they need to exist replaced a picayune more ofttimes than other parts. You need to supersede silicone parts more frequently because they are more prone to stretching out over time.
If you are exclusively pumping, yous will want to replace your duckbill valves about every 4 weeks. However, if you aren't exclusively pumping, yous will want to replace these valves later 2-iii months of use.
If yous notice your duckbill valves are visibly stretched out or warped, y'all volition want to supercede them immediately.
Medela Valves
Because Medela valves are made out of difficult plastic, you can supervene upon them less frequently than the duckbill valves.
If you are exclusively pumping, y'all will desire to replace your Medela valves about every 6 months. Although if you aren't exclusively pumping, y'all tin replace these valves every bit needed.
If y'all discover your Medela valves are starting to crevice or warp, you will want to replace them immediately.
When To Supercede Valve Membranes
Valve membranes are the niggling white flap that connects to the hard plastic valves. When yous use your chest pump, the valve membranes act like duckbill valves, and they help create the suction that you lot feel.
If you are exclusively pumping, you lot volition need to supersede the valve membranes every ii-four weeks. Otherwise, you lot tin can supersede valve membranes around every 2 months.
Like the duckbill valves, if you notice your valve membranes are visibly stretched out or warped, you will want to supersede them immediately.
When To Supplant Tubing
Tubing is the function of your pump that attaches the motor to the shield connectors. Your breast pump tubing works with the valves to create the suction yous demand.
When using your breast pump, you may detect a little bit of condensation where the tubing attaches to the connector. This condensation should clear up when you disassemble your pump. Yet, you should not exist getting a lot of water or breastmilk in your tubing. If this happens, or if you lot see mold or tears in the tubing, you volition demand to replace the tubing immediately.
Whether you are exclusively pumping or not, you volition want to replace your chest pump tubing between 3-6 months of use.
When To Supersede Backflow Protectors
Similar to duckbill valves, not all breast pumps use backflow protectors. If you have a Spectra pump, you'll notice that yous will have to use backflow protectors.
Backflow protectors are pretty much exactly how they sound; they prevent your breastmilk from backflowing into your tubing or breast pump.
If y'all are exclusively pumping, you will need to supplant your backflow protectors every iii months. If you pump less than four times a day, y'all will need to supercede these parts every 6 months.
When To Replace Milk Drove Bottles
Milk collection bottles are a office of your breast pump that you can replace as needed. If you notice they are warping or cracked, it's time to replace them!
Why do breast pump parts need to be replaced?
When learning when to supervene upon breast pump parts, you might wonder why they even need to be replaced. In that location are two chief reasons why you should supersede your chest pump parts:
Loss Of Suction
An important reason y'all need to supervene upon your breast pump parts is to maintain good care of your pump. Every time yous apply your pump, it creates a trivial wear and tear on your car.
This standard wear and tear tin can contribute to a loss of suction while pumping. When you don't take proper suction while pumping breastmilk, you will observe that you are non pumping equally much milk as you once did.
Realizing that y'all aren't pumping as much breastmilk tin be devastating, and it'south common for women to think that there has been a drop in their supply.
When you routinely replace your breast pump parts, you tin can have more peace of mind that your pump is doing the best that information technology can.
Hygiene
The 2nd reason why you need to supervene upon your breast pump parts is for hygienic reasons. Your breastmilk is likely a huge office of your babe'south nutrition, which means your breast pump parts need to be as clean equally possible.
How many breast pump parts do I need?
An essential part of pumping breast milk is ensuring that you lot have enough chest pump parts bachelor at all times.
When pumping, a good rule of thumb is to have at least two spares for each function of the breast pump.
Specially when exclusively pumping, you will desire to have enough actress parts to reduce the stress of washing parts and then frequently.
Also, when you have enough actress breast pump parts, y'all won't have to worry virtually a part of your simply ready breaking and not having a backup.
How practise I dispose of old breast pump parts?
It's essential to dispose of breast pump parts properly. Non all breast pump parts are disposed of the aforementioned way; here's what to do with each pump role:
You tin recycle plastic parts, like breast shields and connectors, in your household recycling bin – remember to sanitize them first!
Tubing, membranes, and silicone valves tin go direct to the garbage.
And lastly, you can recycle your breast pump motor anywhere that recycles modest appliances. Also, some pump companies take a recycling program, so information technology'due south worth looking into!
Can I apply my original breast pump with a second babe?
Whether or not yous tin can reuse your breast pump with a second baby depends on how much y'all used information technology with your first baby.
Starting time, you should know that when reusing your breast pump for a second babe, yous can only reuse the pump motor. All additional chest pump parts should exist replaced with brand new parts.
Most pumps recommend replacing the motor subsequently one year if y'all are exclusively pumping. This will ensure that the motor is even so working strongly for you lot.
Still, proceed in heed is that almost insurances volition cover the cost of a new chest pump for each pregnancy. If you lot used your starting time breast pump oftentimes with your beginning babe, requite your insurance a call to see if you can get a completely new one!
Learning how to utilise your chest pump may seem intimidating, but information technology volition become second nature one time you first using information technology more often. Soon, you will exist able to assemble your pump in no time, and yous volition think those feelings of intimidation when you offset got your pump.
Before you get, check out these related posts:
- Everything You Need To Know Well-nigh Pumping At Work
- How To Overcome Bottle Refusal
- Babe Feeding Essentials For Starting Solids
- Essential Items For Pumping Moms
- Free Printable Pumping in Progress Signs
I hope these tips for when to replace breast pump parts helped you! I would love to know your thoughts in the comments beneath!
Source: https://gladtobemama.com/when-to-replace-breast-pump-parts/
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