thegreekdog wrote:A girl I work with is pregnant and she has decided she will not breastfeed (despite the encouragement of her doctors and nurses). Her reasons were (1) "I have to work" and (2) "I'm not going to pump milk every three hours when I'm at work because it cuts down on my productivity."
It's not empirical evidence, but I would say there are some cultural reasons that women don't breastfeed.
Yes, but those are, as you say "cultural reasons" and also "cultural excuses." I am pretty sure that it does not take rocket science to develop a work schedule that does not "cut down on productivity." (Believe me that those companies that are pushing their employees to stop smoking and taking smoking breaks are not doing it because they want to regain "productivity.")
On the other hand, I'be heard anecdotal evidence that the pump "sucks" (no pun intended). So I can see people making excuses not to use it.
I'm also pretty sure that with minor modifications and a genuine desire to use a superior product it could easily be made not to suck.
Let's be honest, if you (and everyone else) can
read this article without getting either prudish or acting like Beavis and Butthead, the world would be one step closer to a real cultural revolution.