Do you think some pediatricians feed the fear?

[MarcyC]

When my kids were babies, the pediatricians had me come in EVERY DAY for 7-10 days for weight checks and billirubin counts. At a time when I should have been home curled up in bed nursing 24/7, I was driving 45 min. (each way) to the peds. office, waiting around their office for billi. counts, etc. They were probably just trying to "cover themselves" in case something "went wrong" with breastfeeding, which in my case was probably good knowing my history with low milk supply. But I know other moms who go to the same practice who have had to go back every day!

Well, I was talking to new mom last night who goes to a different practice. Her baby had lost weight and was little "yellowish" but she doesn't have to go back to the ped. until next week! They said, just nurse nurse nurse and come back in a week.

So...I got to wondering...do think peds who have you come in every day, or every other day, are just fueling the new mom's insecurities about breastfeeding?

[meldess]

There's a great book you might want to check out called "The Woman in the Body" by Emily Martin. In her chapter on birth, she talks all about how us women are "turned into machines" in order to produce a perfect little being. She writes how we are disciplined by and looked after by authorities (doctors). Essentially, it explains the history and the medicalization of birth in this country.

It's very alarming to me when we are inundated with all kinds of people (doctors, social workers, etc.) for the "safety" of our children. There's a reason you're alarmed too so I think you will love the book in order to help explain your unease. The other chapters are good, too, and you might see yourself and your role in society in a whole new light.

[sweetpeppers]

Most definitely. Probably not because they are being paid off by formula companies, but just because breastfeeding is so un-scientific. You can't measure it. It changes all the time. Plus it comes out of a woman's breast. Gross. I think medicine is slowly coming around on the breastfeeding thing though. Now if we can just get them to trust a woman's body to expel a child on her own... then we'll be getting somewhere.

Just as a sidenote: I know they call it doctor's orders, but really they can't make you do anything.

[bri276]

absolutely. and I don't think it's "some", I think it's "most". Breastfed babies are treated like anomalies in many pracitices. As if they need to be watched more closely than their formula fed counterparts.

I would go as far as to say I think pediatricians are the #1 threat to successful breastfeeding for most American women. And my own mother is one of them- I hear about her sabotaging her patients on a regular basis.

[Kappa]

Good googly moogly, every day!!!! I had enough trouble getting my newborn to his first appointment, 2 days after we left the hospital, and I was baffled as to what was the point of going then, but every day? My 2 week appt was pointless too. And ped's offices are so grimy/germy why go there more often than necessary. Daily checks for a baby who wasn't even in the NICU seems like a way to run up a bill, more like there's a deal with the labs, not necessarily the formula company.

[kythe]

I didn't have a problem with mine until we were at my daughter's 9 month check up. The nurse asked, "Does she hold her own bottle" as a routine question to assess developmental milestones. I said that she didn't take a bottle since she still breastfeeds. She just stared at me, then excused herself from the room. This is the same reaction she gave at the 2-month visit when I had told her we wouldn't be vaccinating at that time. Basically, she left to go talk to the doctor since what I said was so extreme.

The nurse came back in and asked if dd was taking a sippy cup, and I said no, she eats quite well at meals, but there hasn't been a need to supplement breastmilk with anything less nutritional. She left the room again.

The ped came in and asked the same questions, and gave the same blank stare when I tried to explain that the AAP recommends bf as a main source of nutrition through the first year. I remember once she had said she recommends breastfeeding for 6 months. I didn't realize this meant she may have never actually met anyone who never introduced a bottle and didn't use a sippy cup within the first year.

My the time ds came along, they never talked to me about breastfeeding. I guess our issue wasn't so much about being scared out of breastfeeding, but they made it very clear we were different than anyone else they had seen. I know if I hadn't been as educated as I was about my decision, I would have weaned just to avoid that feeling of shock at their reaction. It's not a good feeling when you are just stared at as though you are a freak by someone who should be knowledgeable about the benefits of breastfeeding through the first year.

[MarcyC]

So, I'm not crazy. I mean, you take two new moms, both post-partum hormonal, etc..

Mom #1...ped checks baby, says, "mmmm...okay for now but come back tomorrow. Mom spends rest of day/night worrying about weight gain/billirubin (worry in and of itself isn't good for breastmilk production). Mom goes in next day...cycle continues for 7-10 days.

Mom #2...ped checks baby, says, "lost a little weight, a little yellow...go home and nurse often, call us if you have any questions or something seems not right, but otherwise, come back in a week." Mom goes home know the signs to look for, but other than those signs, doesn't have to get up or go out for a week.

Which mom is more likely to succeed at breastfeeding?

[Sugermama]

I never had that happen with our pedi. When my youngest had his one week check he was already 10lbs, that appointment was two days after we left the hospital since I had a c/s (8 lbs at birth) so we never had to deal with the check them and keep checking them thing. He was slightly jaundiced when we left the hospital but that is common for breast fed babies.

[mamajake]

I have never even heard of this. Just absurd. :

My third son was jaundiced and needed his bilirubin checked for about ten days after his birth. The hospital ped suggested supplimenting with water but I had my husband print the voluminous research off the Internet showing that clearing the bilirubin was done most successfully with breastfeeding and water was in fact contraindicated. More bizarre still, I was given a hand-out by the hospital nurses on jaundice in newborns published by Ross Labs (a major formula manufacturer) and it advised breastfeeding as the best jaundice treatment. Of course it was the Ross Labs pamphlet that got the ped off my back, not the medical journal studies we gave him.

We went home on schedule despite elevated bilirubin and a home health care nurse came to my house to check my son's bilirubin levels for the next week. I never had to take him to the doc. The home health care nurse (who by pure coincidence was also an IBCLC) completely supported exclusive breastfeeding. As my son's bilirubin level arced up and then down (which is the normal jaundice pattern), the nurse/IBCLC assured me throughout that even if his levels did not come down, the next step would be a bili-light blanket, which he would also have gotten at home without a trip to the ped.

Sounds like she needs a more breastfeeding friendly doc.

[Very Snoofly]

My second daughter was 9 lbs 12 oz at birth; when we left the hospital she was down to 9 even. So I went back two days later for a weight check; she'd gained 8 ounces. They asked me to come back three days after that; I did; they put my baby on the scale, the nurse read out "She's 10 - 5!" and the whole office started to cheer. It freaked me right out -- why were they so excited about her gaining a normal amount of weight? Was it really so weird to see breastfeeding in action?

The irony is, the only reason I went back to the ped's the second time was that I was having intense pain every time my daughter nursed, and I wanted to see the LC on staff. But after I told the ped that, she just said, "Well, your daughter's weight gain is great, so you probably just need to get used to nursing!" and that was that.

I left the office and called an independent LC (who helped enormously), but I've never quite gotten over how useless my ped was in that situation. I totally understand why lots of moms don't continue breastfeeding if they encounter problems in the first few weeks.

[Peony]

Oh yes. There is one pedi in town that is the worst. She commonly makes moms come in for daily weight checks, pushes supplementing with formula, because the weight gain "isn't where she would like it to be", and on and on. I can't tell you how many moms I've spoken with that have had weight gain horror stories and the sad part is that this doc markets herself as a holistic doc, and she is so not. The loud, busy, large pedi practice across town gives out much better breastfeeding advice.

[JamesMama]

I've been blessed with chunk-alicious babies so I've never ran into that. My girlfriend has tiny babies...and she had to go in a couple times a week IIRC. They made some noise about "If baby doesn't gain X# of lbs by DATE then we'll need to talk about supplamenting with formula." my friend pretty much ignores them...I don't know enough bf'ing mama's to make a judgment there.

[Romana]

I am so glad the family practice doc we see is 100% supportive of BF. Some of these stories are downright scary. EBF is so normal to me that I have a hard time understanding how a ped wouldn't be familiar and comfortable with it.

[MommytoTwo]

wow that is crazy. My ped actually told us at our 2 week visit not to come back till 2 months...but he regained his birthweight before leaving the hospital. Yeah I think making moms paranoid is not helpful.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by mamajake

Of course it was the Ross Labs pamphlet that got the ped off my back, not the medical journal studies we gave him.

Yet more proof that a major problem with healthcare is that doctors aren't expected to be scientists.

[ccohenou]

I don't know...sometimes it goes in the opposite direction and there isn't adequate follow-up to catch and solve problems early. I might want to do a weight check every day or at least several times a week in the first weeks, if there was a history of low supply, or health issues with the baby. As a routine practice, I don't think it's necessary. But for some mothers it's actually reassuring to see that their baby is gaining well.

My experience was, we saw our pediatrician once during the first week after the birth. The first two had already regained their birth weight, so no more checks til the regular 1 month visit. The third had not, so we went back at the end of the second week and all was well.

[rmzbm]

Originally Posted by meldess

There's a great book you might want to check out called "The Woman in the Body" by Emily Martin. In her chapter on birth, she talks all about how us women are "turned into machines" in order to produce a perfect little being. She writes how we are disciplined by and looked after by authorities (doctors). Essentially, it explains the history and the medicalization of birth in this country.

It's very alarming to me when we are inundated with all kinds of people (doctors, social workers, etc.) for the "safety" of our children. There's a reason you're alarmed too so I think you will love the book in order to help explain your unease. The other chapters are good, too, and you might see yourself and your role in society in a whole new light.

That sounds interesting, I'm going to look for it. Thanks!

[neko]

There was some concern over my daughter's jaundice at the time of discharge- so they sent a nurse from Mother Baby Center over to my house. Of course her levels had risen, so they sent someone over again. By the third visit everyone was happy with billi levels, weight gain and latch. I never had to get out of my pajamas.

I can't imagine having to haul a new baby to the peds every day!

I think I live in a pretty breast feeding positive corner of the US. Everyone I deal with (WIC, Ped, etc.) is supportive of eb feeding, delaying solids, clothe diapering... Then again we'll see what happens when she hits the dreaded six months.

I'm sure I'd be much less gung-ho about nursing if those around me were questioning my ability to nurture my child.

[Oliver'sMom]

I think peds most definately "feed the fear". I completely blame my ped for sabotaging my breastfeeding relationship with my son The worst thing you could possibly do is offer formula to a desperate mother who has no idea what she's doing. I wasn't offered any other support, just a "suplementing" schedule and weigh ins every other day. I so wish I would have known then what I know now.

[mama24-7]

Most certainly.

When my dd was born, they didn't tell me when the last time she'd had a BM. I was religiously counting wet/BMs, how long on which side, how long between feedings, how long the feedings were, etc., etc. By the time she was 6 days old, I didn't know how long it'd been since she had a BM. I don't know why now, but I called the peds office, & they had me rush over. I was told she wasn't gaining fast enough, to start supplementing & that I would have to bring her back in two days later if she didn't have a BM by then. Talk about making me paranoid - as if I wasn't recording enough already. She was a slow-to-gain baby, but she was just that, all through her infancy. Healthy as a clam though.

We went through a lot of crap w/ dd because of slow gaining, etc. Funny thing was she didn't gain anymore or wet/bm any more w/ supplementing than w/o. We even rented a scale & I was weighing her daily. It was not a fun time at all. It's so sad to me now, thinking about it, how depressing the beginning of her life was. I won't digress.

When ds was born, I went back to the same practice & took the advice of my homebirth attendant & was "creative" w/ what I told them his birthweight was because he'd lost more than 10% of his birth weight by the time I was scheduled to take him in for a checkup while wetting tons & having lots of bms. Of course, he was just fine & gained very nicely once he started gaining. He was 9lbs 6oz at birth, so I'm not surprised he lost more than 10%.

I'd really like to know where those percentages come from. I think that babies who are born to mothers who have been hooked up to IV are bigger than they otherwise would have been because mother is getting all that extra fluid & HELLO! the two are connected - why wouldn't the baby get some too, especially if it is a long time between hook-up & birth.

A PP'er had said that there some times is not enough follow up & baby's need to be weighed. What goes in must come out. As long as accurate check of what is coming out is checked if there is a concern, then the scale is not the only way to keep an eye on things.

And to that point, if everyone around us breastfeed & we didn't feel, like that book says, that we have to have the experts telling us we're doing okay or were not, these things wouldn't even be an issue. We'd have our mothers, sisters, aunts, neighbors, etc. telling us how to do what we need to do to be successful at bf'ing.

Sus