I too have wondered about the "requirement" of a breastpump for a
healthy breastfed baby.
Don't scream at me Lactnetters, but I'm sure that it perpetuates the
bottlefeeding culture. It becomes easy for people to say "well, it
could be breastmilk in the bottle, so what are you complaining about"
The pumps are marketed with bottles also. There is no indication that
baby could be cup fed or any other means used. The bottle then becomes
an accessory for even the most dedicated breastmilk advocate
In Australia, we tend to encourage hand expression for most short term
or occasional circumstances, including engorgement and mastitis. Hand
expressing is more gentle very efficient and mother can feel the
changes in her breast. However, for mothers returning to the
workplace, pumping seems to be the 'preferred option'. I think this is
another 'cultural' situation. Maybe the pumps just 'look' more
'professional' whereas a mum expressing into a cup or container is
definitely a more 'sensual' experience - how do I explain that better,
I don't mean sexy, just that it is 'nature and nurture', not 'plastic
and professional'. I do know that M****a sell a hand expressing
'funnel' another gadget, but probably quite effective, for mums who
hand express.
 Personally, I would like to see hand expressing taught as a 1st
option, and pumps available for mums who really needed them. No doubt
though, now that various companies have found a marketing niche in the
breastfeeding community, there will be a great deal of resistance to
this suggestion, and we would lose some sponsorship and income....then
again maybe mums would be more confident that they don't need all the
gadgets, just a baby and a breast, some loving and knowledgeable
support and some confidence. This is for the majority. Some mums will
always need extra support, extra help and for some, we know that they
will need to use the artificial milk formulas so that their babies
will live, but this is not an ideal world and that is why we are all
here, to reassure the mums who just need reassurance and pull out all
stops to help the mums and babies who truly need help. Maybe in years
to come, the milk banks will be well established in all areas and all
babies will be able to receive natures best. (dream)

Querida

Querida David
Alyangula, NT. Australia
Counsellor, NT Correspondence Group
Editor 'Upfront'
Member NT Publications review team
Email: [log in to unmask]
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty
to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble" Helen
Keller.