Winnie said:  "I am getting a little tired of the "only the purest way is
appropriate" =
attitude.  I think we all WISH breastfeeding could be total for every =
mom and baby"

I have posted criticising pump company advertising and ethics so I will
respond to this.

I have never suggested that breastfeeding should done be done in 'the purest
way' for every mother and baby.  Indeed, when I hear, on lactnet or from
professionals or even other volunteers 'oh this and such was so great
because it meant the baby had that much more breast milk' I always find
myself disagreeing that that is the only criteria for 'success'.

On a *public health* population level it is important to ensure the
conditions -- which are various -- which will maximise the liklihood of
individual babies and the whole population receiving as much breast milk and
as much BREASTFEEDING as possible.  That is the goal of policy.

On an individual level, this should not be laid on a woman like a command.
She may have her own goals, and one can encourage her to attain them or
respectfully suggest different goals (if she only aspires to ever partially
breastfeed, for exmaple).

However, when it comes to companies, I would never in a million years expect
to see any company in any sort of business do things in the 'purest' way,
but I sure want to have society using legislation, protest, journalism, etc,
all the instruments at its command, to ensure that every company acts with
some decency.

So, I *would* like to see pump companies behaving well (I can't expect
purity, but I could keep suggesting that they ought to move towards that).
To voice this thought I absolutely do not mean to make any comment on the
women who use the pumps.

There are sometimes concerns at advertising methods or safety standards of
certain makes of car.  I would support public discussion and pressure on the
manufacturers to change things, but I would not then go out slagging off the
people I know who have bought and drive these cars.  In fact, I might feel
sorry that they have been shilled in this way.  I think my attitude to pump
companies and the women who buy and use pumps is the same as this.  Why
should I celebrate the fact that many women are being taken for a ride by
the pump companies, even if there are many others who are being well served?

Magda Sachs< PhD
Bresatfeeding Supporter, The Breastfeeding Network, UK

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