The question of whether or not breast pumps are a valuable piece of
equipment is not the issue when discussing pump companies.  My (and others')
concern is that their product promotion is bordering on aggressive and
unethical.  I don't want to see it get to that point.  There is tremendous
competition out there among the various manufacturers.  We as lactation
professionals have a duty to remind them when we think their tactics are
unethical.  We are the ones recommending their products to mothers so they
certainly do not want to be seen in a dim light by us.  We have an
obligation to keep them honest as we do with the ABM manufacturers.  Bravo
to Rachel Myr for writing her letter.  I want to recommend a product because
it's the best one out there, not because I've been wined and dined and the
company has hired marketing experts to make me think that mothers can't
possibly survive without their particular product.  So keep writing those
letters when you see something that's not right.  Better still, write
letters when you see something ethical going on so it will keep going on.
They need feedback to plan the right marketing campaigns.  I would rather
see their marketing dollars going into something like the Belly Balls than
glossy magazine ads and posters and having LCs doing their marketing trials
on unsuspecting mothers because they're sending us free pumps.

Linda Anderegg, RNC, IBCLC, RLC in Chicago


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