One of the essential tools and equipment to invest in as a new mother would be a breast pump. This helps catch any leaks after breastfeeding or has you store milk for future feeding sessions if you prefer this.
Through using a breast pump, you will have no worries about wasting your breastmilk! But if you have an old pump that you want to throw out, then there are other things you are able to do to make sure that your money doesn’t go to waste even after using the pump.
But when should you throw it out and what will you be able to do after other than throwing it out? Read on as I show you what to do with old pump!
When Should You Stop Using the Breast Pump?
Sure, there are moms who would like to throw their old pumps away because they stopped pumping milk, but if you are still using it, how will you know when it has stopped working and it needs to be replaced?
The standard lifespan of an electric breast pump would depend on its motor, from the component’s quality down to the durability.
Usually, it would perform well throughout the feeding of your second child or other children, though it depends on how you care for it.
Also, the speed and suction may be less than what it used to be the first few months of using it.
You will know when to throw away or replace an old breast pump if it:
- Takes longer to pump compared to the first year of using it.
- Your milk supply has become low from poor suction over the recent weeks.
- The breast pump is older than one year.
- You borrowed or bought a second-hand breast pump.
It all boils down to decreased motor and suction function. While you can take it to the manufacturer, some would like to simply declutter it from their home because their warranties are expired, they have no time to repair it, or they would rather purchase a new one than hassle themselves with one that is already known to have poor performance.
Remember that no matter how high the quality of breast pumps may be, it does have a limited lifetime that you’ll need to take note of to avoid poor milk supply for your baby and future children.
That’s why it’s important to replace and purchase a new breast pump or discard it properly if you are planning to either continue pumping milk or stop to introduce your baby to solid food.
What to Do With Old Breast Pump
Now that you know when you should discard your old breast pump, what can you do to still utilize its parts, especially if it is an electric one? Here are some suggestions on what to do with old breast pump:
Recycle With Manufacturers
Fortunately, you are now able to still have your broken pumps stay useful through giving it back to the manufacturers for them to recycle and utilize the parts.
Through recycling the parts, the manufacturers will be able to create new pumps that will be given to hospitals and organizations for free. You may contact the manufacturers directly or search online to see if there are any businesses that accept breast pumps to recycle.
It’s friendly for the environment and it declutters your home at the same time.
Here is an excellent video showing you all about recycling your breast pumps to its manufacturer:
Throw The Breast Pump
When push comes to shove, then you will have to throw your breast pump away. This is an option for those who have no time for recycling or giving away their old breast pumps, or for those that have worn out too much and cannot be used any longer.
But with that in mind, I would still consider recycling or give it back to the manufacturers to make use of its parts.
That way, it’s environment-friendly and you get to put the old breast pump to good use even if it doesn’t work well anymore.
Can You Sell or Donate Old Breast Pumps?
While I would also suggest that you sell or give it away for donation, these old breast pumps may not be put to good use for mothers out there due to its low suction performance.
The only time you can donate it would be to facilities who need it to utilize any parts that still work. If your breast pump is used yet performs well, then you can refer to the previous article on what to do with used breast pump to inform you on how to sell or donate them.
To utilize your breast pump and make sure that it works properly for a longer period of time, make sure that you clean out all the parts of the breast pump and follow the instructions on cleaning and handling. Storing it in a cool area and away from any factors that may damage it (such as the outdoors under the hot sun or rain) will help as well.
In Conclusion
A breast pump is an important tool you need when feeding your baby, but if you don’t use it anymore or need to replace it, then you will want to make sure that you discard it properly. It doesn’t mean that you have to throw it to the garbage, but there are ways you can still put it to good use to assure that the pump can still help other mothers out there.
I hope that this article on what to do with old breast pump helped you know about utilizing this essential tool. So what are you waiting for? Don’t let the breast pump stay cluttered around your home and follow any of these methods out now.
Do you have any questions or would you like to share your tips and experiences with what to do with an old breast pump? Then comment down below. I would love to hear what you have to think.