Breastfeeding Mother to Go Back to Work

no need to replace any parts unless they are "gummy" or broken or nasty for some reason. Otherwise you can reuse what you have.

I would buy new nipples...I know I always used latex nipples rather than silicone and I know they deteriorate with time anyway. I don't know what kind of bottles you use, but if you are using something with a bpa risk, you might want to buy a few new ones and slowly replace them and make sure you don't wash the old ones in the dishwasher.

A dear friend let me know about this site, as eventhough I am not a mom, I am a Mr. Mom, so all the help and advice for child rearing would be welcome. When my wife went back to work and was going to pump she had the same questions. What we found out was that as long as the nipples and bottles were sanitized they would be okay. If she were going to be pumping and not immediately using the milk she would pump into the plastic storage liners ( I think by Playtex - they have a ziploc type closure) then label and date the bag and pop it into the freezer. I believe breast milk can be kept frozen up to four months, but check with your pediatrician. re: cari's I whole heartedly agree we used the Medela(sp?) and found it to be very efficient and quiet.

I would get new nipples but I don't see any reason to get new bottles unless you don't like the old ones... The nipples tend to wear out and the flow gets faster, which will probably be too much for your newborn.

you could but they are probably not BPA free and since they are older are going to leach even more. YOu may just want to buy some new bottles

Use the same bottles, they are still "new". It's not like you have a 10 year old. Your oldest is still a baby. Just clean everything and enjoy your little ones.

If you are planning to pump at work, make sure you have a nice electric pump and a quiet place. Good luck.

If they are BPA free (which they likely aren't) then you can use them. If they have BPA in them, then toss them. BPA is suspected to be associated with some neurological issues and is comnpletely banned in Canada and all the baby bottle manufacturers are moving to eliminate it completely from bottles here. I know it is a pain as I threw mine all out as well rather than giving them to a friend but for the sake of $50-100 it is worth it.

S.,

I certainly don't think you need to buy new bottles, but new nipples are probably a good idea. Make sure you sterilize everything in boiling water (or a microwave sterilizer) before using it for the first time with the new baby.

Best,
R.

My mom had 9 children....they all used the same bottles and for the most part, the same sterilized nipples. We all grew up just fine. I dont' see why you wouldn't reuse whatever you can. My son used many of those same bottles,( I bought new nipples since the older ones were dried out) and the same sleepers my youngest sister wore. He turned out fine as well. In today's economy, I suspect many moms will go back to the more economical choices made by their mothers and/0r grandmothers

S.:

you should be able to use the ones that you have/ there is renewed concern about bpa and so many mothers are looking to make sure that the bottles they are using are bpa free.

P., RLC, IBCLC
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions
www.breastfeedingandparentingsolutions.com