I know lots off women who answered emails, manned phones, read work-related documents, typed, or brainstormed while pumping. I have done all of the above, and graded papers and sewn (part of my job) while pumping.

I also know plenty of employees who are not pumping who need to take frequnt breaks during the day to smoke a cigarette, go to the bathroom, get a cup of coffee, gossip, walk back and forth aimlessly, or stare into space.

Pumping does not necessarily hamper productivity, nor does not pumping necessarily enhance productivity.

Pumping is not a relaxing spa moment. It is work, necessary work, undertaken to properly feed a child while geographically separated. It should not be viewed as a privilege or perk.

Breastfed babies get sick less often than formula-fed babies. (Go look up the stats yourself at American Academy of Peds, the WHO, the CDC, or La Leche League). Sick babies are much more disruptive to the workplace than healthy babies.

Dogs (and cats, and ferrets, and any other pets you can name) are not babies. They never will be. Don't make the comparison.

Instead of whining about how much "extra" pumping moms get at work, why not do your job, and thank the pumping moms for not needing to take moere sick time away from the workplace?

I got back from vacation, and so missed this article when it was fresh. But my hat is off to thew authors of this book. Thank you!

And to anyone out there in need of support while pumping for babies for any reason, there are several on-line support devoted to supporting pumping moms. One very good one is pumpmoms. The women on this group have incredible stores of knowledge, tremendous insight and kindness, and tons of class. Anyone in need of pumping assistance should check them out.

Having a baby is not a job for sissies, whether breastfeeding or not.

I worked and was able to keep up breastfeeding for 10 months with each child, but it was not easy.

I worked in a huge medical center, which had a pumping room way on the other side of the campus, but at least there was one. Also, it had a day care center which, although not shiny and new, was staffed with the most wonderful childcare workers on the planet. So I nursed when I dropped off and picked up, and at lunch time.

I realize that this was an incredible luxury that most women do not have access to, and I am grateful to this day (they are now teens).

I am pleased to learn that there are options for 'no hands' pumping now....what an advancement!

Anyway, as long as women are the people in our culture who are having the babies and breastfeeding, they should be supported in this by society with generous maternity leave, pumping rooms, etc.

It is kind of like paying property taxes to support school systems and health programs for other people's kids (Like WIC, for example): a healthy, well-educated population is good for this country. People who are not educated are more likely to become criminals or at least non-contributors to the general good. People who are sickly are more likely to be on disability or Medicaid programs.

So, supporting these things is smart....and patriotic!

But the spirit of this idea is actually making the rounds in Europe, where they're having trouble maintaining the population levels so that their social retirement programs can continue to function.

The idea floated in Germany is that those who have children would get more money toward their government pensions than people who don't. This makes some sense, because families do give up income for maternity leave, which isn't mandatory, but it's also not fully paid salary, either. They have also provided a worker, or workers, to contribute to the system.

The opposite, automatically punishing people financially who don't have children, is not advisable, in my view. After all, the social ideals of Germany don't extend to social engineering.

fine, but if you're that hostile towards those of us that did, then our children shouldn't have to contribute to your Social Security when they start working.

"I'm not a mom, so I shouldn't have to pick up the slack for women who need the time to take proper care of their kids."

Typical American attitude, and exactly why there is such resistance to related notions such as universal health care in this country. We have all bought into the idea that we need to be responsible for ourselves only, and our immediate families, and screw everyone else and their petty "needs."

You do realize that this attitude serves nobody better than large corporations and insurance companies? You're on earth to work and not have a life. So you don't have a child, fine. Maybe someday you, or someone close to you, will have a major illness which you need to take time from work to deal with. Under your philosophy, nobody should be expected to pitch in and do YOUR work because it's solely your responsibility. If you lose your job over it, too bad, it's not good for business for people to be sick. Or injured. Or have kids.

We need to reverse this attitude before it does more harm in our society than it already has. Are some Germans disgruntled because people take three years' maternity leave? They sure as hell are. Ask them how they feel about their taxes going to free university tuition for those qualified to attend, even though they didn't go and their kids didn't make the cut. But the overall sentiment is different. They feel it's beneficial for the overall society for government to provide these things.

Think about the employees (both male and female) who don't qualify for the extra time and/or allowances the company makes for the breast-feeding moms. The mom will be forgiven for needing the breaks here and there throughout the day, but that doesn't solve anything for the bitter others who feel that they shouldn't have to pick up the slack. Particularly the women who feel bitter that they chose not to have children, and they have to work the extra mile to compensate for someone who chose to.

But also this book does not work for the different workplaces who simply don't allow for, nor care, about if you need to breastfeed now, or ever. Those of you who have ever worked for a cheap Chinese boss know exactly what I'm talking about. Work is work, and that "thing" you're doing there - do it on your time, not the boss's time. It sounds ugly but that's the attitude.

But further - it also takes one woman to abuse the privileges and ruin it for everyone else. And I'm sure many of you know coworkers who are that way.