Fruit flies are small, winged insects often found near fruit or other sweet substances.
These insects are attracted to the sweetness of fruits and can often be seen hovering around ripe fruits or fermenting liquids.
If you’ve noticed fruit flies hovering over breast pump parts or over leftover breast milk containers and are concerned about it, then this article is for you.
Are fruit flies attracted to breast milk?
Yes, unfortunately, fruit flies are attracted to the smell of breast milk. While there have been no formal studies on this topic, anecdotal evidence confirms that they are drawn to breast milk. The tips mentioned in the next section will help keep fruit flies away from your breast milk.
How to get rid of fruit flies and protect your breast milk?
One way to get rid of fruit flies and prevent them from swarming around your breast milk is to remove their food source.
If you have ripe fruits or vegetables lying around, be sure to store them in the fridge or in a sealed container.
It would help if you also cleaned up any spills or crumbs that might be attracting them.
If you keep your kitchen clean and free of sweet substances, they will have nothing to eat and will eventually die off.
Another easy way to get rid of fruit flies is to trap them. You can do this by filling a bowl with some sweet liquid (like vinegar or wine) and covering it with a plastic wrap.
Poke a few small holes in the top of the plastic wrap so that the fruit flies can get in, but won’t be able to fly out.
They will be attracted to the sweetness of the liquid and will get in through the holes, but won’t be able to escape.
You can then dispose of the bowl of fruit flies when they have all been trapped.
Breast pump cleaning tips
To clean your breast pump, start by disassembling all of the parts that come into contact with milk.
Wash these parts with warm, soapy water, and then rinse them well. You can also use a cleaning solution made specifically for breast pumps.
Be sure to clean all nooks and crannies, such as the threads on the bottle adapters.
Once the parts are clean, sterilize them by boiling them in water for 5 minutes. You can also use a handheld steamer or an electric steam sterilizer.
After sterilizing the parts, let them air dry on a clean towel. Once they are completely dry, reassemble your breast pump and store it in a clean, dry place.
Breast milk is made up of a number of different components, including water, fat, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Each of these components plays an important role in supporting the health and development of infants. Unfortunately, they also tend to attract fruit flies.
Conclusion:
Fruit flies are attracted to breast milk but by following the tips mentioned above you can keep your breast milk and pumping kit safe and clean.
