Part of what Amy Brown wrote:  "Medela is a business, as someone (don't
remember who) mentioned. And Medela is doing what it takes to increase the
bottom line for Medela. That does not make it a GOOD decision, as we can all
clearly see by the horrible misinformation and lack of information
accompanying these rentals by Babies R Us. It is my suspicion that this will
prove to be such a disaster that Medela will abandon it sooner rather than
later. It won't be good for Medela when word gets out that their product is
not "effective" or pleasant to use or whatever, simply because it was rented
by someone ignorant of how or why or when to use it.

[Regarding IBCLCs helping Medela and/or Babies R Us]:  I do not call another
doctor and expect a second opinion for free after consulting with my own
doctor. I do not take my car to a second mechanic and expect more details
for free about what I paid the first mechanic to do to it [the car]. My
husband, who is a portfolio advisor/wealth manager, couldn't dream of giving
away his time. He is paid well for the many initials behind his name, the
extensive education, training and experience he has, and the excellent
results he yields. He'd be out of business if he gave it away. Trust me, he
does give a good chunk of advice for free, AS DO I, but he has limits, as do
I."

 

Lee speaking now.  As I am reading so many posts regarding this issue, I
can't help but think that we women need to behave like businesswomen.  Let's
"put the horse before the cart."  Who started this whole mess with pumps
being rented at Babies R Us?  The stores are not responsible for the
dilemma, Medela is.  Please let's remember that.  Where are the stores
getting the information about IBCLCs?  Medela is supplying that to the
stores.

Medela makes money, the Babies R Us stores make money, and the IBCLCs should
give away free help with a smile.  Why?  In the past week I received phone
calls from two of those stores asking me to give FREE seminars at the
stores; Medela gave out my info and is sponsoring the seminars.  Medela is
not paying me.  I would not take payment anyway from a WHO Code violator and
I'm certainly not going to help such a company for free.

I have informed my local Medela rep how irritated I am with her company.
Not only is Medela in violation of the WHO Code but now it has put me in a
position of having to refuse to help moms in this situation that the company
has created.  I have spent hours meeting/communicating with the Medela rep
and her supervisor to express my displeasure.  So far they have not taken
any responsibility for the dilemmas the company has created - not for the
violations of the WHO Code nor for the dangerous situation in the stores
renting pumps by young adults who do not know what they are doing - and it
is not the fault of those employees.  What liability does Medela bear when
babies and/or moms are harmed by these bad decisions?

We healthcare professionals should hold Medela responsible.  Until and
unless Medela becomes CODE compliant, some of us have disassociated
ourselves from the company.  Should we take the same stance with regard to
their lack of ethics in knowingly letting pumps be rented out by
uninformed/untrained store employees?

Lee Galasso, MS, LLLL, IBCLC, RLC

Westchester County in NYS, USA

"Children Are Born with the Right to Breastfeed"

 


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