We recommend washing your Haakaa pump in warm, soapy water, then sterilising in the Haakaa Multipurpose Steamer & Steriliser Bag. Alternatively, use any steam sterilising system (following manufacturer's instructions) or boil in water for 2-3 minutes. Do not use any bleach-based agents or sterilising tablets to clean your pump. Do not use UV sterilisers to clean this product as it may impact the lifespan of your pump.

It really comes down to preference. In the first three months after baby is born, it is recommended to sterilise your pump and all baby bottles that are used after every use. After this time, some mums continue to do so and others tend to wash their pumps with hot, soapy water after every use and sterilise after every couple of uses. It depends on what makes you most comfortable and works for you!

Please note that the following instructions refer only to products made entirely out of silicone and do not refer to products containing any other materials. The cleaning methods below may not be suitable for non-silicone products.To clean your silicone items, scrub them in hot, soapy water and then rinse. If you need to use them straight away, use your sterilisation method of choice (see "How do I wash/sterilise my Haakaa Pump" section above). Otherwise, leave them to air dry on a drying rack, then sterilise when ready.The Haakaa Silicone Brush is super handy when it comes to cleaning silicone items. Its soft silicone bristles easily remove leftover food and milk without scratching silicone surfaces.

Silicone is an absorbent material and can absorb the colours and smells of substances it comes in contact with. Although your silicone products can go in the dishwasher, we recommend hand washing with hot, soapy water. To sterilise, we recommend boiling in water for 2-3 minutes of using a steam steriliser.We strongly recommend not using any bleach-based agents or sterilising tablets to clean your Haakaa products as it can affect the clarity of your product. Although your products might become cloudy after using detergent to wash them, silicone does not leach and it is still completely safe to use. If you are still concerned, you can sterilise your pump again by boiling in water, just to be safe!Some mums have said that boiling the pump in water with a touch of white vinegar can help improve the clarity of the pump, so you may wish to give this a go.

Have you tried a stronger suction? Sometimes, when our bodies are constantly changing after the birth of our babies, the suction strength needs changing as well.When attaching, do you fold the flange back, squeeze the bottom of the pump, centre it onto your nipple, unfold the flange and release? This is the most effective way of attaching. The more you squeeze the bottom of the pump, the stronger the suction will be.Another tip would be to assist your breast by holding or cupping it in one hand while attaching the pump in the other so you can really get a centre onto your breast and allow the pump to grasp a bigger area.If you find none of these tips work and it still won't suction on properly, it may be that the silicone material has worn and lost its suction. Sometimes this can happen depending how often it is used and sterilised, as well as the method of how it's washed and sterilised – the more you sterilise your pump, the faster it will lose its suction. Some mums find they need to replace their pumps after a few months while others have theirs for years. It really differs for each person based on each of those factors!

Sometimes silicone can act like a magnet and attract its surroundings or absorb smells, colours etc. We suggest hand washing the breast pump under hot, soapy water with a slightly rough sponge and gently scrubbing the exterior. This usually helps!