Low Oxygen Exposure Racking Techniques - need some advice

[Sean75]

I had the best plan for the first racking of my first mead - I was going to lay down a CO2 "blanket" in the empty carboy and gently use an auto-siphon to transfer the mead with as little O2 exposure as I could manage.

Reality check came quickly when I heard all of the slurping and gulping and bubbling noises that my auto-siphon was making. Realized I was basically doing a nice job of aerating my mead.
Spoke to a beer brewing friend and he said he siphons using his mouth - "no trouble from infection?" "Nah" he says. It seems to me I could be solving one problem (Oxidation) and introducing a new one (infection). Or maybe he's right? Am I being too fussy about Oxidation and Infection?

What are your techniques?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Put a little sanitizer in the auto-siphon tube above the plunger. Some lubricant may also help it seal. If those methods don't work, get a new auto-siphon.

 

[CKuhns]

I do the same as your brewer friend. Just be careful to dry your lips and try not to slurp in the tube.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Make sure the seals on your auto siphon are good, then pump until all the air is purged. Avoid using tubing that is much longer than necessary to reach the bottom of your carboy. If you want to, you can add sulfites every other racking to lock up any free oxygen that gets in.