On 20/09/2005, at 20:52, Judith Hayman wrote:

>>> We don't live in a perfect world and breast pumps enable these
>>> mothers to provide their baby with breastmilk.
>
>> Hear here - they also allow other mothers to provide donor milk for
>> those few babies whose mothers are unable to do so.
>
> Before there were pumps, there were hands.  And in most of the world
> they still work quite effectively.  We North Americans are FAR too
> squeamish to do something so icky as actually manipulate our  
> breasts...

I've read this over and over, but not yet seen any evidence for it.  
Most of the pumping mums I know (hundreds, possibly more) use massage  
and compressions to augment their pumping, and intermittently hand  
express in certain situations - but find it far more time consuming  
and inconvenient than hooking up handsfree so they can work, check  
email, relax and read, or tend to their baby while they pump. In the  
absence of demonstrable harm, I respect people's right to choose the  
technology that works for them and gets their babies fed.

> And many have been convinced that a pump and bottle is EASIER
> than direct feeding.

I'm reasonably sure (though there is no research of which I'm aware)  
that mums who choose to pump while never attempting to put their  
babies to breast are dealing with issues most of us find it hard to  
imagine. Certainly in pumping mums' circles, women who suggest that  
they're considering this as an option are rapidly and thoroughly  
informed of the practical issues and encouraged strongly to do  
whatever they need to do to consider feeding their baby directly.

> The use of pumps for the situations of specific need, like prematurity
> and donation, are the exception.

There were the exact exceptions that the two posts you are quoting  
and responding to were talking about.

>   Here, over 80% of women initiate BF
> and most of them own a manual pump.  That's close to market  
> saturation.
> To increase sales, you have to change or add to the market niche.  The
> pump companies have created a demand for pumps where no NEED exists.

In the USA, I would contend that pump companies, rather than feeding  
a market manufactured by themselves, are filling a market niche  
created by woman-hostile work practices and a complete dearth of  
appropriate maternity related legislation, but that's a whole  
different set of issues.

Lara Hopkins

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html