I was the one who wrote that

 >The LCs can't just tell them the doc's wrong, so they send them to me.<

What I meant was that when a doctor tells a mom that she should stop bf  a five day
old because she needs amoxycillin (!!!), and  why should a healthy newborn get
antibiotics, then the mom is really worried, and what makes her feel better is another
doctor (me) telling her it's OK, and that formula is much worse.

Of course the LC tells the mom the doctor is wrong (as tactfully as she can,
depending on how stupid his advice is...), but many moms need another MD in order
to be sure. There is also the liability issue - if a doctor tells the mom not to bf for
some reason, and the LC just says he's wrong, you can go on bf, and then something
happens to the baby, for whatever reason, the LC may be in an uncomfortable spot.
What they usualy do is give the available information to the mom, and let her decide.
Giving the mom my phone number helps the mom make the right decision. I'm sorry
to say I often have to tell moms their doctor is wrong...

Mira
[log in to unmask]


Rob wrote:
>In a post from a few days ago some one mentioned that an LC can't tell her
>client something contrary to the physician or disagree with a physician. I
>forget exactly how it was phrased.
>If the advice is wrong and you know it why can't you disagree? Especially if
>you have references. I understand it is a difficult situation but isn't
>there an ethical obligation involved?
>-Rob

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