Dear all: Jane asked about the promotional shields that she has not seen. First, I want to make it clear that I am generally against distribution promotional samples through hospitals unless very strict standards and complete transparency about potential conflicts of interest are in place. I'm speaking about ANY promotional samples in hospitals - not merely products for infant feeding. It is a murky opaque world to the consumer. I have no idea how decisions are made. Since I do not work in a hospital and do not every want to, this question may seem naive and it is because I really don't know. Do hospitals have transparency about how products are selected and which companies are giving donations? Some of the reasons why I am against it are as follows: 1) The misperception that these samples are free may lead to a selection process that weighs the cost to the hospital against the needs of patients. 2) Samples may result a selection of only one "average" product, such that clients who have different needs than the "average" may not have access to the best products for their needs. 3) Even if the hospital doesn't pay for the product, consumers pay for the product through the increased price to cover distribution of these samples. 4) At least in Manhattan, there seems to be a system of "exclusivity". Allowing one company to distribute their promotional samples to the exclusion of others. This limits choice 5) The consumer who must use the product ultimately pays for the distribution of promotional samples through higher cost. And I'm speaking about any product in hospitals. It is a murky opaque world to the consumer. I have no idea how decisions are made. Since I do not work in a hospital and do not every want to, this question may seem naive and it is because I really don't know. Do hospitals have transparency about how products are selected and which companies are giving donations? That having been said, the specific product is a shield that has a slightly different shape than other shields. You cannot screw a hand pump to the back of this shield. In the place where you would a threaded area where you either put in the tubes or screw on the hand pump --- you have a bend with a small part that sticks up where you insert the tube. The tubing is thinner. It is not a two piece system that makes it easy to stick them through a home hands-free pumping bra. When it is a one piece system you have to cut larger holes through the bra to fit the whole piece through the hole rather than just the cone. These are given out from several hospitals. Mothers are not informed that these are "test" or "starter" products until you buy your own. I don't know if they were intentionally designed as "use for the duration of the breastfeeding problem" products. Mothers tend to continue to use these for the duration, unless I come alone and notice a problem and suggest they shift over to what I consider "use for the duration of the breastfeeding problem" products until we can fix the problem. It was a mother who claimed that she was told the opening was 23 mm, not 24 mm. I have not verified this. My observations of milk yield and pain are based on many clients, not this one mother. I have not done a "clinical" study. These are clinical observations among the population of mothers I see. Most mothers think of the "starter" SNS as a "use for the duration of the breastfeeding problem" product as well. In my opinion the tube is way too short and it clogs up quickly. After about three to five days at home, I find many babies cannot get enough milk out of the tube because it is clogging up. The tube is ridiculously short --- so you can't do all the innovative things you can with a Jack Newman's bottle --- like put it on a night stand while you semi-recline in bed half asleep -- or with a syringe and long feeding tube like one dad who wrapped the syringe with a rubber band (standard instructions I learned) and hooked it with a paper clip through his earring hole or another dad who taped it to the back of the rocking chair. Best, Susan Burger *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome