I'm sorry, this whole assumption bothers me intensely. Medela is a business, not a person. Businesses are in the mode of survival. They don't have feelings or ideas. The OWNERS of the business are the ones who decide. If a business slows down, people are laid off. Those people may be looking at ways to increase sales. If a business is a publicly traded company, a decrease in profits means lower value and the stockholders will push for profits over morals see: Nestle. When businesses see profits in obeying the code, THEN they will obey the code. When they see losses, they will not obey the code. Medela wants to see more people breastfeeding and using their products, definitely. It is to their best interests to design the best products possible to keep mothers breastfeeding and babies getting breast milk EVEN IF the mother has to be away. That includes excellent efficient breast pumps AND (no tomatoes please) they believe, bottles that don't stop a baby from going back to the breast. There may be mothers that choose to deliberately work that hard to just pump and put it in the bottle. But that's not the majority. The Code as far as I can see does not stop Medela from making these products and selling them. What it objects to is the glamorization of bottles as being equivalent to the breast. And I don't see that as what Medela is doing in its marketing. Marketing is about making a product visible to the public. I WISH they marketed the special needs feeder and that it was a bit cheaper and more available. When products are more available, they become cheaper, competition comes in and they either get cheaper or disappear. Look at TV's computers cellphones for examples.
-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Regina M. Roig-Romero, Bs Ibclc
Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 11:06 AM
Subject: Re: Medela and The Code
Susan wisely said, << "There is no doubt in my mind that the company is now promoting milk expression rather than supporting breastfeeding.">
That nails the situation precisely.
Years ago when I was first introduced to the WHO Code and Nestle boycott, it was some kind of major light-bulb moment for me to realize that formula manufacturers see breastfeeding as their competition. The more fully a woman breastfeeds, the less formula she'll buy. It is in their financial interest for women NOT to breastfeed.
Now we are learning, the hard way, that breastfeeding (as opposed to milk expression) - i.e., ACTUALLY PUTTING BABIES TO BREAST - is Medela's competition. They see women actually putting their babies to the breast as being BAD for their bottom line, as being opposed to their financial best interest.
Every woman that feeds her baby breastmilk is, potentially, money lost for formula manufacturers.
Every woman that puts her baby to the breast instead of expressing her milk is, potentially, money lost for pump manufacturers.
That is clearly how Medela now sees the issue. They don't support breastfeeding. They support milk expression. Actual, live, honest-to-goodness-nursing hurts their profits.
That some women need or prefer to express their milk instead of or in addition to directly breastfeeding is irrelevant, by the way. That is THEIR decision to make, NOT Medela's to push and promote, unethically, to the detriment of breastfeeding....
Regina M. Roig-Romero, BS IBCLC
Senior Lactation Consultant
Miami-Dade County Health Dept WIC/Nutrition Breastfeeding Program
7785 NW 48 ST, Suite 300
Miami FL 33166
(786) 336-1333 x16219
(786) 336-1302 fax
(786) 336-1336 Breastfeeding Helpline
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