I need research links!!!!

[guestmama9920]

As you all know I've had some horrible problems with the local peds trying to get me to quit bf'ing. I complained about that and other things including trying to sell me private appts vs the free NHS system they are suppose to be working for (which funny enough are in the NHS hospital using the NHS resources)

OK so the people in question lied to the top cheese, it's all he said vs she said, so I'm not sure how far I will get. In my complaints letter I am told yet again about bottle feeding and that nursing too much will mean baby doesn't gain enough weight.

1. what links would be best to reply with? cause we know it's dead wrong

2. would you think they would go for a 1 hour BF course taught there by a IBCLC? It would be great PR for them, they may even learn something and then I could withdrawal my complaint?

These are the people training the new doctors and new GP's (like the one I spoke to the other day who also told me they taught him that nursing more often then every 4 hours reduced supply and led to low weight gain)

Any thoughts?

[rainashine]

have you looked at www.kellymom.com? There is lots of research summarized and linked there. I'd try go for more than an hour. That doesn't seem like a long time with the information they are giving out. They can sleep through an hour workshop.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Sorry, I'm confused about the specific issue you are wanting help with. You want links to peer-reviewed journal articles about how often you should nurse? Names of medical textbooks that describe the physiology of lactation?

Can you give us a summary of your past medical problems and what has happened to you?

[PatioGardener]

Hi Britishmama,

It may be a good idea to approach this from a different point of view if you want things to change. It is true that sometimes there is a rare baby who is not able to transfer milk well and seems to be breastfeeding all the time and not gaining weight. One of the doctors at somepoint has probably seen this, and probably seen it 'fixed' by bottle feeding.

The key is to acknowledge that this does happen, but explain that it isn't 'too much breastfeeding' that is causing weight loss or low weight gain, but it is actually 'not enough proper breastfeeding' that is the problem. In most of these cases, baby is not transfering enough milk. The way to help this is to provide support for the breastfeeding mother and the baby to increase transfer of milk at the breast. This may mean clipping a tongue-tie in the baby, or getting the mother to see an LC to help with the latch, or using medication to increase mom's milk, or supplementing baby with a tube at the breast. Bottle feeding should be a last resort for many reasons - and there are great references for this that I can look for later and I'm sure other MDCers will help out too.

By acknowledging what the doctors have seen, but then providing an explanation and an alternative treatment you are giving them useable information - and doctors generally like that (as opposed to general statements that aren't so useful in a practical way.)

[guestmama9920]

I get how some have problems but I thing I keep hearing is that your supply goes down by nursing too much, sorry nak'ing

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Britishmama

I get how some have problems but I thing I keep hearing is that your supply goes down by nursing too much, sorry nak'ing

I understand. I was trying to come up with a way to explain to the docs who are saying this that it isn't true.

You can just tell them about supply and demand, but chances are they won't listen if they have seen a baby who was nursing all the time and not getting enough milk. Chances are they have heard about supply and demand, but what stuck in the mind was that one baby who nursed all the time and didn't get enough milk. And then this anecdotal misinformation is passed on to the next generation of doctors - because that's how they learn, by hearing about cases.

If you explain a situation where it could happen that a baby nurses all the time and doesn't get enough, and then explain how this can happen, how to fix it, and why most babies don't have this problem (because of how lactation works ), you may get through to them better than if you just give them the basic 'this is how lactation works' info.

Also, I think your idea for a course taught by an IBCLC is a great idea! Sounds like there is a lot of misinformation out there!