What do you do with an old breastpump?

sarahjared

I know you aren't supposed to use a used pump cause of the whole bodily fluid thing but it seems like such a waste to just toss it in the trash.  I'm still using mine but a friend is finished with hers (after 2 kids).  She is healthy (no diseases).  Is there someplace to donate it?

AnnapolisLari

I sold mine for almost $200 on CL. There are plenty of people who don't care if it's used.

 

jettagurl

I also sold mine on CL - just recently, for $100 (almost 5 years old).  

JOEBunny

I used my former boss's pump for both my kids, and my SIL used it in between.  The thing has been through 5 kids.

Mrs.JDD

I sold mine on ebay, for a lot...I can't remember how much, but probably around $100!  It was a medela pisa.

joy143dh

If it's the kind of pump that has all the attachments, I don't see any reason why it cannot be reused.  The only parts that touch bodily fluid are the nipple attachments, flappers, and bottles.  The hoses and pump just carry air. 

hikerbeth

joy143dh:

If it's the kind of pump that has all the attachments, I don't see any reason why it cannot be reused.  The only parts that touch bodily fluid are the nipple attachments, flappers, and bottles.  The hoses and pump just carry air. 

Only on a closed system pump.  With an open system, there is potential for microscopic drops of milk to travel through the tubes and get in the motor.  The Medela Pump in Style is an open system.

eta:  I'm just assuming that a lot of these pumps were Medelas because of the amount of money they were getting when resold.

I purposely bought a closed system pump so I would feel o.k. reselling it.

JOEBunny

hikerbeth:

joy143dh:

If it's the kind of pump that has all the attachments, I don't see any reason why it cannot be reused.  The only parts that touch bodily fluid are the nipple attachments, flappers, and bottles.  The hoses and pump just carry air. 

Only on a closed system pump.  With an open system, there is potential for microscopic drops of milk to travel through the tubes and get in the motor.  The Medela Pump in Style is an open system.

There was someone on here ages ago that said they had worked for medela in customer service and that they had one person who had contracted something sharing a pump, but they were actually "sharing" a pump.  The vast majority of germs cannot live more than 90 days, in theory, a few can live up to a year, but that is really just theory.