If Medela was truly concerned with meeting the needs of employed
breastfeeding women, they would offer their employees a paid maternity
leave.  "Paid lunches and 15 minute breaks and a pump" are better than
having an unsupportive employer, but let's face it, proving these miniscule
benefits costs peanuts compared to providing a paid or paritially paid leave.

Would Medela get behind paid maternity leaves for American women?  How
would it affect their bottom line if American women got six months paid
maternity leave?  As the message says, meeting the needs of employed
breastfeeding women "is a huge opportunity for everyone."

I realize that change doesn't happen overnight, and in the interim, some
benefits are better than none, but I just can't sit still when I hear them
talked about in such glowing terms.  Let's recognize them for what they are
... a convenient cheap alternative to providing working women with what
they *really* need.

Jean Geary
Fundraiser, INFACT Canada
http://www.infactcanada.ca