Low supply? You nurse too much - Page 2

[calpurnia]

it's NOT what they are being taught! individual ignorance shouldn't be written up to failings in teaching.

[mamabadger]

I really believe it is because the medical profession does not take BF seriously or think it is important. If doctors have no interest in things like breastfeeding, I wish they would just avoid the whole issue. "Don't bother me nonsense like that; ask your grandmother!" LaLeche League would become the primary source of information, and mothers and babies would be so much better off.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by mamabadger

If doctors have no interest in things like breastfeeding, I wish they would just avoid the whole issue. "Don't bother me nonsense like that; ask your grandmother!" LaLeche League would become the primary source of information, and mothers and babies would be so much better off.

Very true when no medical help is needed.

Medical interventions do a lot to cause breastfeeding issues - and I feel that the medical system should take responsibility to support moms through those issues (for example: C-sections, fertility treatments, NICU seperation from mom etc.). Doctors and midwives have the ability (and responsibility) to help moms to increase milk supply, treat mastitis, abscesses and stubborn thrush, and to have baby as close to mom as possible whenever possible (skin-to-skin.)

[Frootloop]

Originally Posted by mamabadger

I really believe it is because the medical profession does not take BF seriously or think it is important. If doctors have no interest in things like breastfeeding, I wish they would just avoid the whole issue. "Don't bother me nonsense like that; ask your grandmother!" LaLeche League would become the primary source of information, and mothers and babies would be so much better off.

***bolding mine***

I completely agree, especially with the part that I bolded. I firmly believe that this is the #1 reason that I failed at breastfeeding. When I wrongly went back to our pediatrician about my supply concerns (I was feeding my 5 week old daughter on a schedule that was recommended by him and also supplementing because she still seemed hungry after feedings), I was shrugged off. He said, "well, obviously you're not producing enough and since you're not, there's really no sense in continuing to breastfeed at all since she's not getting much from it anyway. You might as well just switch her to formula completely". And since I had absolutely ZERO breastfeeding support from friends and family, I quit. :

I very very VERY strongly feel that far too many pediatricians feel this way.. that breastfeeding is simply "no big deal" and that formula is just as good.

I want so much for my daughter to get accurate information when it comes time for her to have her own children. This is why I'm now learning everything that I possibly can.

[Claire and Boys]

shocking. but not surprising to me.

My own GP said outright that he had no training in breastfeeding and directed me to the right place when I was having some bf issues at our checkup. I wish more would be honest like that.

I had 2 pediatricians at the hospital argue with me about BF when ds2 was tiny. They came out with some classics, the best being "if your baby needs to eat more often than every 4 hours, clearly you're not making enough milk and baby needs formula"
Closely followed by "You know the problem with breastfeeding is that you just don't know how much your baby is eating. It is SO MUCH easier when you can tell that"
I argued back and I don't think they knew what to make of me, lol. They were really pushing the formula. I'm just glad that I was on #2 and knew waht I was talking about, any first time mother would have run straight to the formula after that onslaught

[rivkah]

I think what disturbs me about this is that if you can't trust a doctor to be informed on a basic human function, how can you trust a doctor to be in formed on any other area of human health?

[petra_william]

sad but true

when i was pregnant our antenatal group on breastfeeding consisted of all the mums receiving cards with pros / cons of both bf and ff and we had to sort them into the relevant colums. ie... "expensive" in ff column and "cant run out" in bf column

when at the end of this "class" i mentioned my (newly discovered) fact that breastfeeding can protect from breast and ovarian cancer the midwife laughed at me and said scornfully "ha cancer is a horrible thing it would be great if something could protect from it... " with a "dont be silly you stupid woman what do you know " attitude...

unfortunately i didnt have the confidence then that i have now otherwise i would've stood up to her..

ive had other not so bad experiences but none was quite as degrading and potentially damaging to future mums as that.... they didnt have a clue about what breastfeeding is really about and their whole attitude simply shouted oh breast, bottle doesnt really matter... just do whatever you want...

[Siera]

Originally Posted by Frootloop

***bolding mine***

I completely agree, especially with the part that I bolded. I firmly believe that this is the #1 reason that I failed at breastfeeding. When I wrongly went back to our pediatrician about my supply concerns (I was feeding my 5 week old daughter on a schedule that was recommended by him and also supplementing because she still seemed hungry after feedings), I was shrugged off. He said, "well, obviously you're not producing enough and since you're not, there's really no sense in continuing to breastfeed at all since she's not getting much from it anyway. You might as well just switch her to formula completely". And since I had absolutely ZERO breastfeeding support from friends and family, I quit. :

I very very VERY strongly feel that far too many pediatricians feel this way.. that breastfeeding is simply "no big deal" and that formula is just as good.

I want so much for my daughter to get accurate information when it comes time for her to have her own children. This is why I'm now learning everything that I possibly can.

Totally agree with this. When my DD saw our pediatrician for probably the second time, I was still exclusively pumping for her (she was in the NICU, so breastfeeding came later). I was tired and worn out, and her doctor tried to convince me to stop pumping and just give her formula b/c it was just as good. He even gave me two free samples. Thank goodness I didn't buy into that, but I almost did -- I was so worn out! I agree that very few doctors take BF'ing seriously. I know DD's doctor thinks its just some hobby of ours...

[calpurnia]

Originally Posted by Claire and Boys

shocking. but not surprising to me.

My own GP said outright that he had no training in breastfeeding and directed me to the right place when I was having some bf issues at our checkup. I wish more would be honest like that.

nak

this is whats changing though, i know perhaps 5 or 6 currently in training & i know they have breastfeeding, my partner is a medical student & had to do a special study module on it when he was doing obs & gynae.

[guestmama9920]

Originally Posted by calpurnia

nak

this is whats changing though, i know perhaps 5 or 6 currently in training & i know they have breastfeeding, my partner is a medical student & had to do a special study module on it when he was doing obs & gynae.

well the student I spoke to did training, he was just taught bs vs real information

[MaryJaneLouise]

Originally Posted by petra_william

sad but true

when i was pregnant our antenatal group on breastfeeding consisted of all the mums receiving cards with pros / cons of both bf and ff and we had to sort them into the relevant colums. ie... "expensive" in ff column and "cant run out" in bf column...

Let's make a chart of pros / cons of walking on foot vs. ambulating with a wheelchair.*

Pros to walking: Cheaper, most people already have needed equipment :
Pros to wheelchair: You can have someone else push you around when you get tired.

Etc.


* please note sarcasm. I am NOT making fun of mobility challenged individuals, just like people in this thread are not mocking us low suppliers

[Breeder]

Originally Posted by Siera

I know DD's doctor thinks its just some hobby of ours...

Yep, some of the doc's in the practice we take our kids to treat it like it's something "you could do if you're into that sort of thing". (You should see how they react to the cloth diaper. )

It's sad that medical professionals can be so clueless about a bodily function that is essential to the life of human infants.

[AutumnAir]

It just infuriates me no end that those who are supposed to be educated as to the human body, how it works and health and illness, can be so utterly ignorant of one of the most basic functions of the human body and one of the most important things one can do to help maintain health and avoid illness, for both mother and child.

Why is it allowed? If I had my way nobody would be allowed to leave secondary (high) school without knowing the basics of birth and breastfeeding, let alone be allowed to graduate from med. school without such essential information.

OT, but you know, that's what we really need to work on in order to 'promote' breastfeeding. If everyone, male and female, were required to learn evidence-based FACTS about birth and breastfeeding in school we would have very few of the problems we face today. And really, when you think about it, such information is far more important and relevant to everyone than quadratic equations, or exactly what Hamlet's motivations were... Not saying that those things aren't important in their own right, but EVERYONE is going to either have babies themselves, as a mother or father, or encounter people who do have babies on a very regular basis, and so ALL should be properly educated about such things...
OK, off my now!

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by lisabeeprague

If I had my way nobody would be allowed to leave secondary (high) school without knowing the basics of birth and breastfeeding, let alone be allowed to graduate from med. school without such essential information.

I so want to live in your world! That would be amazing. OK - that is definitely something to work towards locally!