Labeling Breast Milk Bags

[varsha]

The Lansinoh site states that you should not use a felt tipped pen to write on their storage bags.

Anyone know why?

I have been using a thin tipped Sharpie marker to label my Medela and Gerber bags. Their sites don't mention anything about felt tipped pens.

Is this safe?

I tried to use a ballpoint pen once, but was afraid that the pressure it took to write on the bag would puncture it!

Thanks.

[lisams]

The only thing I can think of is that the strong chemicals in permanant markers might deteriorate the bag faster. Or maybe they just mean don't use a regular felt-tip marker because the writng will smear everywhere. I don't know for sure though! I use a dry erase marker (water based) on the bags and that seems to work.

HTH!
Lisa

[jenmcadams]

I always used a sharpie pen to label my lansinoh bags and never had any problems. Not sure why it would be an issue

[brubeck]

I use a ballpoint pen on Medela bags but I use it BEFORE I fill the bag. No puncture problems.

[Denyse]

Oh no! My ENTIRE stockpile is labelled with a sharpie! Although I use the playtex disposables, double bagged with the writing on the outer bag. I think it's ok but you've definitely given me something to check into!

[varsha]

Thanks for the feedback thus far.

I am a little concerned now about using the Sharpie with the Gerber bags since the writing is on the front of the bag (i.e. directly in front of the milk, as opposed to the Medela bags where it is on the bottom away from the milk).

Anyone using a Sharpie with Gerber bags? Any problems with the milk?

Do you think the milk will still be good?

I am getting so paranoid here.

[brubeck]

I just switched to Gerber bags this morning (they were on sale). The Medela bags have a white coating where you are supposed to write and this makes it easier to use a ballpoint pen. The Gerber bags just have you write on the clear plastic and this seems a lot harder to do with the ballpoint. Hmmmm.....

[chrissyhowie]

I've used Lansinoh and Gerber bags. On the Gerber bags, the place to write is on the actual bag part. It is difficult to get ballpoint pen to write on this area and I was always afraid of puncturing the bag. Sharpie marker was the only writing medium that stayed on -- regular felt-tip pens wiped off. I haven't experienced any problems with milk quality from the Sharpie marker.

I prefer Lansinoh bags. The place to write is located above the ziplock, so no danger of puncturing the bag accidentally where a leak could be caused. The place to write on is also coated so a ball point pen easy writes on it and stays on. (They sound very similar to the Medela bags.) Regular felt-tip pens wiped off, so I think that's why they say not to use them.

HTH,

[SASM]

Hi!

I am thinking it is to "scare" the consumer into buying their product because, out of Lansinoh, Gerber, and Medela, Lansinoh is the only one with the label separate from the milk bag, making it easier to use ball-point pens. I cannot use a ball-point pen on Gerber or, coincidentally, Lansinoh (haven't used Medela yet). I really do not think that using a Sharpie is a potential threat to the EBM ~ the plastic is so thick and it gets introduced to a cold climate, refrigerator or freezer, immediately ~ not a hot climate.

But that is just my opinion...:-)