– It is no wonder that many women give up breast pumping. You try and try, maybe spend a lot of money on equipment, and then it still doesn’t work. It is extremely frustrating, says Angelika Olivia Helsingeng. When she became a mother, she wanted to fully breastfeed, but faced breastfeeding challenges. This led to her having a greater need to use a breast pump. She went to purchase an electric pump for NOK 4,000 from the brand Medela. Angelika Olivia Helsingeng is on her second breast pump in seven months. Photo: Private – It lasted for four months. Now I’ve been pumping for seven months and am on pump number two, but it sings on the last verse too, she says. An electric breast pump costs somewhere between NOK 1,000 and 7,000. Most pumps on the Norwegian market are designed to last for two years, or around 250 hours of pumping. For a person who pumps 2.5 hours a day, this corresponds to around three months. – I had probably used it for more than 250 hours, but luckily I didn’t get any questions when I came to advertise the first pump, she says. The manufacturers are not obliged to provide information on expected durability, but according to the Consumer Council there is a minimum two-year complaint period for electronics of that type. – For products with a lifespan of between three and four years, you have a five-year appeal period. We believe that many breast pumps, and in any case those in the upper price ranges, have a complaint deadline of five years, says senior legal adviser Thomas Iversen at the Consumer Council. – If you are to sell pumps with a shorter shelf life than what consumers can expect, this information must be very clearly stated. Either in the packaging or in the shop where the product is bought. It is not enough to write it in the user guide, he says. Fear of underreporting Most people who use a breast pump will most likely not need to pump as much as Helsingeng, but she believes it is important that people are aware of it. – I have heard of many people who have just bought a new pump instead of complaining, she says, who started the Instagram account Pumpemamma because she could not find enough information. The Consumer Council fears major under-reporting. – Parents of infants are a vulnerable group. There is a lot going on in life at that time, and then you may not be able to manage to complain. Then it’s easier to just buy a new pump, says Thomas Iversen. Thomas Iversen in the Consumer Council fears under-reporting of electric breast pumps that do not work. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news At the same time, he is critical of the fact that electronics are produced with a very short lifespan. Electronics in that price range should have far better durability. – In terms of computing power, this does not belong anywhere. A breast pump for up to NOK 7,000 should definitely last for at least three years, he says. In the long term, he hopes that lifetime labeling of electronics will become part of marketing. – It is likely to become a requirement from the EU, but when that will happen, it is currently impossible to know, he says. Two-year guarantee Medela is one of the largest players in breastfeeding equipment in Norway. The reason their pumps no longer have a shelf life is because they have not been tested for more than 250 hours. – The pumps often last longer, but that is not something we can guarantee, says Milan Lexén at Medela. According to him, getting a new pump should not be a problem as long as it is within the two-year warranty. – We are a company that is known for maintaining the high quality of our products, and will support breastfeeding mothers as long as they need the breast pump, he says. When the pumps stop working earlier than expected, it is often due to user error, he believes. – Electronics that are more exposed to moisture are simply more easily damaged. For example, it is easy to get water into the engine if the connected hoses are not completely dry. If you want a full pump, Medela recommends renting a hospital pump instead. It has a powerful motor and a long service life. The downside is that it must be connected to power to work and is somewhat larger than the usual breast pumps. – I know you can hire these pumps at some health centres, pharmacies or hospitals, but it is very difficult to find information about where this is available, says Helsingeng.
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Spent 4,000 on an electric breast pump – stopped working after four months – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
