I totally agree with Becky K. re pumps from hospitals. Give bf Moms a good
little hand pump on discharge. In my area they are still selling the
bicycle horn pump and it's the cheapest so Moms buy it. [Anyone else noted
a recent surge of these monsters on the market?] Last week a Mom was going
home with one her hubby had bought in the local pharmacy. Of course I told
her it was awful, but she had no $ and no insurance and no milk in yet, so
even teaching her hand expression in the hospital was an act of faith:
maybe she'll do it; from the look on her face, maybe she won't.

It is a pity we live in a hi-tech  society but we do. A BF Mom might feel
that extra bit of confidence if she has a pump. Better than thinking she
has only formula to turn to.

It's so different discharging Moms en masse with hand pumps, to helping an
individual postpartum Mom in a consult. There you can help a more motivated
Mom one on one with great ideas and no technology. But as a mass policy, to
help that big majority of Moms who don't have the time, energy, or
resources to track down LCs 4 days postpartum, can a hand pump do much harm?

Anne Merewood
Nursing Mothers Councilor