What to do with bottle feeding equipment?

[mima08]

On a recent clear out to create precious cupboard space I came across the true horror of how gullible I am when it comes to marketing: vast arrays of different types of bottles, teats, supplementary nursing systems, "true to nature" teats etc. I was so desperate to keep trying to breastfeed that I bought anything that vaguely promised to "ensure an easy switch" between bottle & breast. Most of these were used just a couple of times, then relegated to the shelf as LO was very particular about which ones to accept milk from. My question is now: what is the done thing to do with all this plastic? DH has claimed some for plant seed storage, but after that we ran out of ideas for uses. Can they be recycled? Can they be donated? Any creative suggestions?

[Saffron]

If it's new enough to be BPA free, why not offer it on the family classifieds section?

[Yak]

There's a lady who posts in the family classifieds sometimes asking for donations to a women's refugee group. I'll see if I can dig out the details.

If it wouldn't confuse your little one, how about filling a couple with rice, dried chick peas, colourful pasta shapes etc and turning them into sensory toys? You could also fill them with scraps of foil scrunched up into little balls etc. Could the lids can be used for pouring in the bath, sorting, stacking etc?

Cutting the bottles in half will give your husband excellent mini-cloches for protecting his seedlings from slugs!

[mima08]

Ohhhh - thank you Yak for the suggestions. I have literally just posted on the family classified if any one wanted them but would appreciate if you had any details about the person looking for donations - will check myself too. If not, the toy ideas are great - I guess I was "shocked" by the amount of plastic I had accumulated and not thinking laterally.

PS: my husband loves the suggestion for protecting from slugs: they have been a pest!

[R11]

It's me who posts for the Refugee Council group and I've PM'd you - the bottles would be great if they're not yet filled with pasta and peas or catching slugs! Thanks for thinking of it, Yak. Always worth contacting me if people have baby equipment to get rid of and would like it to go to a good cause.

Sarah

[kemurf]

Try Freecyle too - bottles/teats are sometimes posted as Offered or Wanted and I've shifted this kind of stuff on it before