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Date: | Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:06:54 -0400 |
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Dear all and Lee:
It is always impossible to really read intentions, but my suspicion is that Medela is
providing the promotional parts to PROMOTE their products. I cannot see any benefit to
them giving out promotional samples that cause harm. That would be completely
counterproductive. What I think about the promotional products is that they are
considered STARTER products as they or maybe others have named the STARTER SNS. I
think these are considered what you get in the hospital and then you can get more of
what you need once you are out of the hospital.
Five years ago I started watching any woman I visited who was already pumping when
she pumped. It was quite revealing. I found many women had pain because the shields
were ill fitted. I think the reason why there is pain with those shields is based on the
false notion that you fit shields to the size of the nipple. It has zero to do with nipple
size. I've seen tiny stretchy nipples expand out to plug up the shields and tough thick
nipples not touch the sides at all. I think Medela generally makes its shields too small
and the soft cups don't always compensate. I've only seen the soft cups in their regular
size and they can sometimes rub as much or more on certain types of areola tissue.
What I think is the real problems are:
a) the links between the hospital and knowledgeable follow-up outside the hospital are
very weak because only 3% (last time I looked) of IBCLCs are in private practice.
Therefore, mothers don't know that the starter SNS clogs up with time and that there is
not one, but many alternatives to what is a temporary device.
b) the products are probably not tested with large enough samples sizes or possible with
a narrow range of women who are not having problems. Hence the problems crop up
after the product is distributed.
The combination of a) and b) leads to situations where no one notices that the slightly
smaller shields and tubes are making a difference in women who really need some
mechanism to release milk. Or, the FreeStyle pump not cutting the mustard for a fair
proportion of these women.
I generally have problems with promotional samples because customers ultimately pay
for them and in the hospital setting these products are not selected on the basis of what
works best in a competitive manner, they are selected based on the relationship with the
company. I really don't care what type of equipment or drugs one is considering --- this
creates monopolies which are not good for product development --- and creates markets
for products that may not always be needed. Look at the lanolin ointments, have you
met many mothers that haven't already bought it before the baby is born?
Best, Susan
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