Borrow a breast pump?

Question: "I'm in the market for an electric breast pump and a friend offered to loan me hers. Should I take it? It would save me about $300."

While it's a gracious offer, you're better off declining. That's because most breast pumps (unless they're a hospital-grade rental), are designed for one user only. It's largely a hygiene issue. Using a pre-owned pump can put your baby's health at risk because breast milk can carry bacteria and viruses. These potentially bad bugs can lodge in the pump's internal mechanism — the part that connects to the tubing — which can't be removed, replaced, or fully sterilized. With each suction and release, these contaminants can be microscopically blown into the milk you're expressing and possibly infect your baby. That's why breast pump manufacturers encourage nursing moms to think of a breast pump like any personal-use item you wouldn't loan, such as a toothbrush or lipstick.

There's one exception and that's the Purely Yours Breast Pump by Ameda; it's the only personal-use pump on the market to date that features a patented silicone diaphragm that provides a barrier against contamination. That same diaphgragm is also used in Ameda's rental pumps, which are designed for multi-users. But the Ameda Purely Yours isn't marketed as a multi-user pump because its motor isn't the heavy-duty, "industrial-strength" motor their rental pumps offer. Besides the risk of contamination, there's nothing worse than borrowing someone's pump or buying a secondhand one that conks out as soon as you start using it.

So, don't borrow or buy used; buy new or consider renting. A lot depends on how often and where you'll be pumping. If you're going back to work, buy an electric, personal use double pump, such as the Medela Pump In Style. You'll need the power and efficiency to get the job done quickly and keep up your milk supply. A price tag in the range of $300 can be tough on the budget, but consider how much money you're saving by not having to buy formula. If you're not going back to work, but want to pump occasionally, you can get by with a lesser pump, and you'll pay less, too. Small electric or battery-operated units range from $65 to $130. Or consider renting a breast pump for your hospital or local lactation center. These units don't tend to be portable, so they're not really an option for outside the home. But they can make sense if you only plan to pump for three months or less, or aren't sure how much you'll use a breast pump. After three months or so, cost-wise, buying generally becomes a better deal, though.

See our buying advice for baby bottles and nipples.