Mold Sorrows

Well, I don't know exactly where to start. :( This post will not involve pictures as it would gross most of us out. Ok... Not long ago, I noticed that my pump equipment had mold on it where the valve connects. I used to disassemble it completely to dry every time I washed it. But lately I started leaving it connected to dry thinking it would be fine. Well, it wasn't. Pumped milk had been passing the mold and yes, sadly, Alex was drinking that milk unbeknownst to me that mold was in there. I was upset about this and did an overhaul clean job on my pump stuff.

I am still breastfeeding, but only 1-2 times a day as she has gotten too distracted and busy to breastfeed every time. I pump for the other feeds (and starting this month, I sometimes supplement formula with it), and use defrosted milk with her dinner. Sometimes, Alex has not been wanting to drink all of her milk from a sippy cup even when she wouldn't breastfeed. At her 9 month check up, her pediatrician stressed the importance of her needing at least 24 oz of milk a day right now. Yikes! So, I've been making a conscience effort to get more milk in her. Today, as I was unloading the dishwasher, I decided to look closer at the holes on her sippy cups thinking maybe she needed a "big girl" sippy as hers are the beginner ones. When I pulled the valve off, mold covered the inside. :( I almost threw up and cried at the same time. I checked all her sippy cups and it was only on the oldest 2, but 2 others had a sour smell. They are now in the trash. Unfortunately, I had never taken the valves off. Yes, you can call me stupid, but don't get too proud because you will make a dumb mistake, too! Anyway, this is embarrassing to share and I am only doing it so no other new moms will do the same thing. This is so out of my character as most of you know that I can be a borderline clean/health freak. Needless to say, Alex guzzled her milk today in a fresh clean sippy cup and gets more new ones today! Even though Alex probably has a rock solid immune system after all this, I am still sad about it all. :( btw...I did talk to a neonatologist (pediatric specialist) friend in MS today about this and he said Alex would be just fine.

If any of you know of anything else with a valve on it, please let me know! I need to check it. I was told today that bathtub toys that hold water probably have mold in the inside and you might not be able to even see it until water is squirted out with black in it. :( I'll be checking her rubber duckies next.