What to do with used electric breast pump ?

[Babieseverywhere]

I am lucky enough to have an electric breast pump, as my DH bought it for me when I was admitted in an emergency to hospital when DD1 was young. :( :)

Anyhow years on and DD2 has just weaned herself at 4 yo and I am just nursing 2yo DD3, I was thinking of getting rid of my electric and manual breast pump, bottles and microwave steamer.

My question is...can I donate them somewhere OR should they be thrown away because of health and safety reasons? (Of course they are properly cleaned and sterilised but still)

Thanks

There's a pretty good eBay market for this type of stuff. Or pregnancy crisis/women's aid?

Thanks, will look into it further.

I've got a medula swing pump. Cost £99 and I've now read that as it isn't a closed unit it is single use only.

What a shame. I'd loved to have passed it on to someone. I struggled to afford it, and would happily have passed it on to someone else who needed one. I've still got it and the box, all clean. Probably will have to chuck it out. Sad times.

eBay. We sold ours for 50% of initial value.

Some of the electric ones aren't for use by more the one person as they are an open system. Your milk can get into the motor and then potentially into someone else's bottle of EBM. That said, someone using pumping to keep supply up (dumping the milk) might not mind.

hmmm...I think that might not be true - the open system thing...
If you can't clean it out 100% - what about stale breast milk...surely it is breeding ground for bacteria - (it will pick some up off your skin) and it is full of nutrients...so if you didn't use it for a day or so it would be rank ...
(And no milk (liquid) should be able to get into the motor - and there should be no way the motor can come into contact with milk that you are going to give a baby - motors aren't 'clean' either!)

unlucky

I agree with you, I don't understand the open system thing,but I have seen an article where someone took apart a medula pump and bm was inside the motor.

I not like the idea that motor dust/grime could have got into my expressed milk. At the price I paid I'd expect it to be totally safe.

Had quick look on eBay and the medula swing sell for a decent amount. I'd still prefer to give mine away to someone who needed it.

Interestingly, my sil who lives in oz, said they don't sterilise breast pumps there as it's bm it's naturally antibiotic. A good wash on hot soapy water was recommended to her by the nurses!

I always sterilised mine.

Hi all,

A bit cheeky but I have been looking on ebay for a used breast pump but they seem to be selling for more than what I can afford (esp since I found out I'm being made redundant-my newborn is only 3 weeks old and I have only just started mat leave :(

I'd be happy to pay for posttge if you are planning on just throwing them out!!

Thanks!

KellyMom info kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/buying-a-used-or-new-pump/

Basically says there's not evidence of an issue but theoretically there is a risk. I'm more concerned about diseases that can be passed via bodily fluids - is there a risk of hepatitis or HIV being transmitted in this way?

I don't have the answers. Just wanted to raise it to your attention. There have been numerous threads here about it.

Sorry didn't mean to come across as snappy! Just puzzled...
My BF days are a distant memory but I would be tempted to leave a little in a bottle at room temp for a few days and see if it went rank! Suspect it would! (also why make a fuss about freezing etc - we could just stored it at RT...)

Cows milk is cow's breast milk and we pateurise/sterilise it...and store it at cool temps..
And not sure how long viruses like HIV can survive outside the body but sure it can't be long...otherwise it would be easier to 'catch' then it is .