Shannon,
Here are some questions I suggest for mothers who are interviewing doctors.

* How many babies in your practice are breastfed for 3 months? 6
months? 12 months? beyond?  (The doctor's
explanations/rationalizations, which are almost always offered, are
equally as informative as the numbers.  Hopefully the doctor claims
higher rates than the prevailing area rates.)

* How do you counsel your patients about breastfeeding?  Do you refer
problem situations to others?

* Who in your office handles routine breastfeeding questions from
your patients?  What training does this person have?  (reveals how
the office prioritizes bf support and pt education)

* What do you do when a mother has mastitis?  (or any other
breastfeeding problem -- just looking for basic bf management
knowledge with this.)

* What do you do when a 4 month old's rate of weight gain is dropping
off?  (Checks the doctor's familiarity with normal growth patterns of
breastfed infants.)

* Are there situations in which you would advise the use of formula?
If so, when?  (The desired answer would be along the lines of, "if
the lactation consultant and I felt that we exhausted all the other
options and things still weren't working . . . ."   Of course anyone
can think of plausible situations where formula use would be
appropriate.  The *attitude* of the doctor and some reference to it
being a last resort is what you are looking for.)

* What is your personal experience with breastfeeding?  (This may be
considered borderline inappropriate, but the AAP's own surveys of its
members show that personal experience is the single most important
factor in doctors' ability to provide breastfeeding support and
correct information.  So I think it's fair game.)

I think the factual part of the answers is not nearly as revealing as
how the doctor phrases things and whether s/he equivocates.  I would
tell your friend to not worry too much about the exact answers (wt
loss etc) but to listen 'between the lines' to get the real scoop.

Margaret
Longmont, CO


>This has come up when a pregnant friend of mine asked my medical opinion
>on what "correct" answer should she expect when asking breastfeeding
>question during a pediatrician interview.  Specifically, she wanted to
>know that if she asked "under what conditions would you recommend
>supplementing in the first two weeks of life" and wanted to know weight
>loss percentages, etc.  I'm usually a gestalt kind of person, so coming up
>with good questions/answers for her was difficult.
>
>What do you consider to be good answers and good questions for expectant
>mothers in choosing pediatricians with regards to breastfeeding?  How
>would you recommend a lay person distinguish between a good "talker" and
>someone who will actually support her when needed?
>
>Thanks!
>Shannon Tierney McElearney, MD
>UVA
>breastfeeding mom to 15 month old Jack who can sign "helicopter"
>and "elephant" but not "milk"

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