MADISON, Wis. — A retired Madison nurse is continuing her mission of care by providing support for breastfeeding mothers both locally and abroad, and ensuring that breast pumps get a second life.


What You Need To Know

  • Retired nurse Cathy Schmidt refurbishes donated breast pumps for the nonprofit Babies & Beyond, helping mothers in need with breastfeeding support
  • Schmidt's work ensures that refurbished pumps meet high-quality standards, using new parts and sterilization bags
  • Through a partnership with Hope 2 Others, Schmidt also helps send breast pumps to mothers in Tanzania, supporting clinics and a neonatal ICU
  • Schmidt's dedication continues her decades-long career as a lactation consultant, making a difference for mothers both locally and abroad

Cathy Schmidt, who spent four decades working at Meriter Hospital as a postpartum nurse and lactation consultant, now dedicates her time to restoring donated breast pumps for Babies & Beyond of WI, Inc. It’s a nonprofit focused on supporting breastfeeding mothers. 

“I just love it,” Schmidt said. “I hope I can do it for a long time to come.”

Babies & Beyond collects breast pumps, refurbishes them and makes them available to mothers in need. Schmidt’s role involves rigorous cleaning and quality control to ensure that the pumps are in good working condition.

“You don’t want to give anyone defective equipment,” Schmidt explained. “We try to use brand new pieces and provide a sterilization bag because you’re not supposed to reuse personal pumps. But they do have long lives, and if we have new pieces, sometimes that’s the best that we can do.”

Brenda Collins, the executive director of Babies & Beyond, emphasized how valuable Schmidt’s expertise is to the organization.

“To know that we have somebody like Cathy come in, and when clients ask us questions about breastfeeding or pumping, it’s a relief,” Collins said. “We can count on her to ease moms’ fears, especially those who may be struggling.”

Schmidt’s work extends beyond Madison. In partnership with Bringing Hope 2 Others, an overseas medical nonprofit based in Madison, Schmidt helps send refurbished manual pumps and other equipment to Tanzania. This effort provides crucial resources to new mothers in a region where access to those supplies is limited.

“They helped build a NICU, and they’re building a clinic. I just thought, with our abundance, we can certainly help supply,” Schmidt said.

As she continues piecing together pumps for mothers near and far, Schmidt said she finds fulfillment in knowing her work makes a difference.

“We’re here to fill in the gaps,” she said.