I don't know how to forward a small piece of a post so I'll have to explain.
Pat wrote that she recently saw a Lactina rental pump in the home of a Ped
whose wife said she rented the pump when she had their first baby (now 5
y.o.). She is using it now since her baby has a cleft lip/palate. The mom
said "they never asked for it back".   What would I say to them???

That is a sticky situation because we're not the police. Since the mother had
to sign a legal contract to rent it, it is her responsibility to return the
pump or pay the monthly fee until returned. (I'm not a lawyer but I have been
in the pump rental business). The rental station also should be keeping up
with their pumps. It has either purchased that pump (and gave it to her
unknowingly) or is paying a lease fee monthly, not getting reimbursed, and
losing money.

I would have to take the side of the rental station. Even though they have
been lax in their business end (a large number of pumps is hard to keep up
with), the mother (and father), no matter who they are, are in the wrong
unless they are still paying the rental fees.

Pat, you didn't mention if your visit was as a friend or professional. Either
way, it would have taken me throughout the entire visit to come up with what
to say but I think I would have said something like, "Wow, you must have paid
a lot of rent for that thing". This would get her to talk a little bit more
without accusing her of anything. I would have, casually, found out who she
rented from and said "Maybe you should remind them you have the pump because
sometimes they run out of pumps and moms who need them get turned away." I
would have glanced at the serial number (clearly on the top of each pump) and
tried to remember it.

I would feel a loyalty to the rental station, not the "criminal" here.
Situations like this not only hurt the business, but they also drive up costs
and keep rental stations from being able to loan out pumps to moms who can't
afford them.

Hopefully, this mother will fess up and notify the rental station.

We need an attorney here.

Kris Everette RN BSN IBCLC
formerly in the rental business in Florida

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