I agree with both Pam and Lynn that hand expression should be taught to all
breastfeeding mothers.
But I personally really like most of the marvels and conveniences that
technology has brought me. I know how to wash dishes by hand and use an
stove/oven. But I'm very thankful for my dishwasher and microwave. I won't
live in a house without one if I have my choice. Refrigerators are nice
too. So are cell phones and DSL! Dial-up to reach the internet was ok, but
DSL is so much better. I really like my DLP projector to give PowerPoint
presentations on. Yes, I could follow the recipe and bake bread, but why
should I when technology has made it possible for me to get the same product
with a bread maker? In a fraction of the time and with little to no cleanup
involved? Most of what I really appreciate are labor saving technology.
And I respect that many, many women would prefer to pump rather than hand
express. I personally had no desire to practice, practice, practice to get
fast and efficient at hand pumping and none of the women I know do either.
Pumps make it possible for many women to work outside the home and still
provide their breastmilk for their babies. If a woman can easily hand
express milk and wishes to do while several times a day at her place of work
I say more power to her! I'm impressed, but no more impressed than I am by
a woman who kneads her own bread dough and bakes her bread in the oven. Good
for her, but please don't ask the same of me.
I respectfully disagree that technology is driving down breastfeeding rates.
What leads you to believe that pumping instead of hand expression will cause
breastfeeding rates to decline? The fact that one woman can hand express
easily while working full time does *NOT* carry over to all women and I
think it does all women a disservice to imply that it does. I respectfully
suggest that we be careful that the tone of our posts do not become holier
than thou. As if the woman who hand expresses is superior to the woman who
pumps. No one is superior in the way that they breastfeed. Our
perspectives on any given subject are driven by different countries, races,
cultures, even genders. Some of us abhor technology and some of us embrace
it. I'm not willing to say that either is "better".
Let's remember that we are all on the same team here....
Regards,
Cindi Swisher, IBCLC
Colorado Springs, CO
> -----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 2:04 PM
> Subject: Hand Expression
>
>
>
> When did we get so hung up on technology? This "I have to have
> the latest,
> most expensive, best, fill-in-the-blank gadget" is truly what is driving
> down the duration rate of breastfeeding. I think we're headed down the
> same path as formula usage. As US technology spreads thruout the rest of
> the world, I believe we will see a corresponding drop in breastfeeding
> duration rates, such as is currently being seen here in the US. I run a
> very popular support group for breastfeeding moms and none of these women
> use a pump more often than absolutely necessary (some of them work outside
> the home) and all of them make it to at least the 1 year mark. Intersting
> concept for a study, perhaps?
> By the way, I hand expressed milk for all 3 of my children while working
> full-time. I also teach hand-expression to the mothers I work
> with. Every
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