Buying a used breast pump

[mbcalder]

hi everyone.. i am 28 weeks pregnant and am hoping to get some insight on buying a used breast pump.. i bought a used Medela Pump in Style from a local consignment store for $35 and planned on replacing all the parts that the milk comes in contact with. any advice on this?

am worried now that this may not be a safe choice. Thanks!

[~~Who,Me?~~]

Mine was given to me by my former boss, so it was used. Once you get it, you'll see that once you replace all the accessories, it's not really gross at all.

When I was done with it, sold it on ebay. Keep it clean and working and you can do the same.

[kschick96]

I wish I had bought a used pump-we invested in a new pump (Medela Pump in Style), extra parts, extra everything and then breastfeeding didn't work out for me!

Now I'm stuck with a practically brand new, expensive breast pump that I will never use! You are smart for doing what you did!

[mbcalder]

thank you for your input. that makes me feel better! i am definitely going to clean the whole thing very well.

what replacement parts should i buy? i looked on their website but was unsure exactly.. i was looking on ebay.

thanks for all your help! and that is what i worry about too investing in a $300 pump and not being able to pump, this is my first!

[blossomed]

I did a lot of research on this - and there is a very small chance that a non replacable part could be infected with a disease - do used but knowing who it came from is safer. I think I googled used breast pumps and that was where I found the info. What I did was buy the cheapie manual pump - and then had bfing worked out for me - I would have invested in the PIS etc.

Again - the risk is extremely minumal but do some internet research and then you can decide.

[CW&M Mom]

and I am the keeper of all bad news.

I got MRSA from sharing a breast pump..using completely different tubing and the cup thingies ect...from the other person using it (this was in the NICU setting)

It landed me with 6 mastitis infections...finally figured out it was mrsa....which put me inpatient in the hospital on IV vanco. Got a picc line bla bla bla.

[thecooperhouse]

It says on their website that it should not be shared. Most likely you will be fine - just make sure you get new tubing as it cannot be properly sterilized.

But as you saw before - there is always a chance as these are made to be a one person item.

[thecooperhouse]

cori_n_wes_mom - I'm just curious - did you have to quit breastfeeding because of the infection?

[CW&M Mom]

Originally Posted by thecooperhouse cori_n_wes_mom - I'm just curious - did you have to quit breastfeeding because of the infection?

Not immediately...but long story short...the vanco caused me to gain 30lbs from my knee's to my feet in about 10 days...so they had to take me off of it...which meant I started getting mastitis again...wasn't really clearing the infection basically.

I finally had my daughter home, with my sister and mother coming to watch her every day...because all I could do was lay on the couch with my legs above my head trying to get all the fluid to clear...and then once I started getting sick again..

i called it done.
Most expensive breast feeding I had ever seen...KWIM. I decided I would rather be a mother to my child...than nurse her and spend my time being sick....unable to take care of her.


FYI to anyone...if your getting mastitis more than once...or getting it later than normal (I was about a month out from when DD was born)...have them culture your milk...just to make sure.

[~~Who,Me?~~]

Hospital infections aren't that uncommon--how do you know it was the pump?