Is it unhygienic to buy a secondhand breast pump?

[LoveInAColdClimate]

I have found the pump I think I'd like on eBay for a fraction of the price of new, apparently only used a handful of times. Is this unhygienic and icky? I have advanced pregnancy brain and am no longer capable of making rational decisions, it seems... Thanks.

I don't see how it could be unhygienic as long as you clean it properly and sterilise it. You can buy new 'innards' for most pumps so you could change those if you were worried about that.
While we're on breast pumps, I'm using the electric Tommee Tippee pump and it's great. good luck!

Just sterlise/boil it when you get it, will be as good as new (actually cleaner!).

no not at all as long as you give it a good wash and sterilise it before using it! i sold/gave two away to friends, i know lots of people that do the same :)

No - I had to use one in hospital, it obviously wasn't 'new'.

Brilliant, thanks! Hormones appear to have reduced my thinking capacity by about 90% and I really couldn't decide . I will go ahead and hopefully save myself the best part of £100. Thanks.

I don't see how it can be - it is exactly the same as it will be after you use a new one for the first time, surely

I think it depends on the pump- some you can sterilise all the relevant parts, but for others you can't.

Ah, thanks, RedKites. Is there a way to know whether the Lansinoh or Medela double pumps can be entirely sterilised, do you know? Thanks.

Medela double/single electric pumps aren't safe to buy second hand as they don't have a closed pump. Open pump systems could aspirate milk into the pump motor and that is uncleanable. Mould has been found growing in used pumps and the spores produced could then contaminate freshly pumped milk. See this article for more details on choosing a pump.

Lansinoh state they have closed systems here.

Sorry to hijack a tiny bit but if you get milk into the motor is there anything you can do about that?

I don't think so bar taking a screw driver to it and pulling it apart and I have no idea if it would work again after that!

Damn. Might have to email medula and ask. I forgot to lean forward the other day and milk ended up coming out the hole on the side it still works but I'm worried about the mould issue.

I would like to put it on record that I once had to test FOURTEEN breast pumps for a review.

It was a long time ago, but the Lactaline was the best.

Thanks, Truth. That's really helpful.

Useful knowledge, motherinferior - wow! Can you remember if you tried the Lactaline double pump? Thanks!

I recommend the Lactaline double pump too. It's a closed system and very fast, variable settings etc. I expressed full time for three months using it, 'twas very effective.

Also sorry to hijack but if anyone wants a hardly used avent electric single pump plus a load of bottles and storage stuff (more than it came with) for £45 then pm me before it goes on eBay!

Thanks for recommendations re Lactaline. Does anyone know if it's safe to buy a used one? I can't tell from website if it's a closed system but I may be being dim. Thanks.

The Lactaline looks like it has been discontinued and replaced by the Ameda Purely Yours which is a closed pump system. I haven't used any Ameda pumps so can't say how good they are or not.

A quick tip - what ever pump you do get check the breast shield fits well as a pump that rubs on your nipples or sucks areola into the shield is the wrong size. Some pump makers do sized kits so you can get a better fit and a better fit usually means more milk and no pain. Ameda, Medela and Ardo do lots of different sizes but Lansinoh only do large and standard.

Oh, isn't this the one you meant? Good tip re shield, thanks. How do you know if it's the right size? Thanks.

I think I was looking at the US site - Oops I need to reset my google to the UK!

Medela have written an article on how to tell if the shield fits here.

I did a lot of pumping (12 times a day for 8 wks) with a shield that was far too big and have damaged my nipples permanently. Unfortunately even the smallest shield is too big but it's a better fit than the standard size.

The lactaline is still on sale in the UK, a bought one in Nov from Boots. It's bloody marvellous. I use it twice a day and pump 3-4oz in each session of 10 mins.

Thanks, Truth and PessimisticMP. I will definitely go for the Lactaline and will also make sure I get shields in the right size. Thanks so much.

It looks like you're all sorted, but I just wanted to say that I bought an electric pump (admittedly it was a tommee tippee) and it was a bit slow, then the next day MW lent me one from the local maternity unit, an all singing, all dancing twin electric ameda one. It's been great and I've been expressing for 8 months (DS wouldn't BF at all despite best efforts of BF advisor and group), if i'd known I could borrow one I'd never have bought one.

Oh, thanks, FruitFlies - I'll ask my midwife if they lend them out. I had assumed they were just for use in hospital or if you were expressing at home for babies in SCBU. I think the Ameda is the same as the Lactaline.

LoveInA - are you buying in prep for baby arriving or because baby won't bf?

If you are buying in prep for baby, and are only planning on pumping once in a while a double electric is over-kill, learning how to hand express (your MW can show you) or a good manual is better. If you are planning on exclusively expressing then a new pump or a hired hospital grade one would be best as a 2nd hand pump may not have much life left in the motor for the intensive pumping you would be doing to EE.