My daughter has been given a Medela Pump-in-Style personal breast pump to use from a friend who is no longer breast feeding. She has bought new tubes, cones and bottles for it. Her baby is due Sept. 5th.
She went to a breastfeeding class last night and the Lactation Counselor (?sp) told them that this is a personal use item and you should never use anyone elses because of the danger of HIV, HepC etc. If the milk from the preceding mother never went through the pump and you have all new parts, how can this be? This is a $300.00 item (which the LC sells)
What is the difference in renting one? Isn't it the same thing???
We don't teach this on my OB floor--is this the latest info and why???
I had a Pump In Style and I sold it too. There is no contact with any kinda fluid with any part inside of the pump. I can't even imagine how you would get to the diaphram. I agree with everyone. Give the outside a good spray with antibacterial spray or like I did, alcohol and order the new parts from the manual. They (PIS)are dear and I'm sure Medela would like to sell as many as they can!!
I agree with everything you've all said. I think the paranoia factor is kicking in, though. My daughter found this on our old nemesis breastfeeding.com and is having second thoughts re: used pumps.
I am appalled at Medela. To me, that they are saying that there is a design flaw in their pumps, so that breast milk can get into internal parts.....I have never seen the Pump in Style, but I don't believe that. If this is a problem, then you should not buy a used one.......or a new one! If you are using brand new tubing, there should be no way your breast milk could become contaminated.
It seems to me, that it is simply a marketing ploy. If breast milk could cause contamination of the internal parts of the machine, (and potentially infect a different user) then the same contamination could cause problems with the baby that has been fed the milk from it's own mom.
The Breastfeeding site says something about breastmilk can carry viruses like CMV, and the dreaded HIV.....not forgetting HTLV-1....and doesn't mention how long they last when exposed to air, and out of mom's body. If a mom who is breasfeeding decides not to pump any more, she is not likely to go out and sell the pump that afternoon. Leaving the fresh breastmilk which has contaminated the internal parts of the pump (even though the milk doesn't go inside the machine-am I right?) sitting waiting to get the next poor baby.
This is such baloney! As is the story that the FDA will come and get you if you sell the "single-use" pump. I think the FDA has better things to do with it's time!
There are too many inconsistancies in the Breastfeeding.com article....Hardknox, I hope your daughter can see through some of the info on that site.
dawngloves, BSN, RN
2,399 Posts
I had a Pump In Style and I sold it too. There is no contact with any kinda fluid with any part inside of the pump. I can't even imagine how you would get to the diaphram. I agree with everyone. Give the outside a good spray with antibacterial spray or like I did, alcohol and order the new parts from the manual. They (PIS)are dear and I'm sure Medela would like to sell as many as they can!!