Dear Friends:
Ah, this eternal and important topic.
There is legislation sponsored by Congressman Peter Stark, that became
effective in 1992. Physicians are not supposed to refer to any entity in which
they have a financial interest.
After learning about this, I made an inventory of my pump rentals. I
figured that about 40% were to mothers leaving their babies to return to school
or paid employment, about 40% were to mothers of premature and sick infants,
and about 10% were for mothers receiving lactation services from other
professionals. The remaining 10% were to clients who were also receiving lactation
services from me.
What to do about that ethical conflict?
I let it go. I know that my heart is for the mothers and that equipment
is the last thing I choose to offer. My job is to take care of the mother. How
is it going to help her to insist that she either go herself or find someone
to go for her to rent a pump when I am right there in her living room? Many
women I see are battered after medically managed births. They are injured, in
pain, and having breastfeeding difficulties. I want to give her help at that
point, as she already has enough to do.
That 10% is such a small percentage of the pumps that I rent that I feel
I am maintaining a ethical standard that would withstand scrutiny.
I carry two different brands of hospital-grade pump, and sell two other
brands of pumps; there is no attachment to any particular company.
warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MSN, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CIMI, CCE, craniosacral therapy
Adjunct faculty, Union Institute and University, Maternal and Child Health:
Lactation Consulting
Supporting the WHO Code and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative
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