Hi Evi,
I just wanted to jump in & take a chance that I won't be flamed off the
"net".  I realize your response was to Linda Smith, but I just felt I had to
comment.  First of all, I've got a sense of humor so I won't take anything
personally.  I've worked at a military medical center for the past 27 years
(wow, what an old gal!).  Most of my experience with physicians has been
positive.  Of course, there are always unusual circumstances.  The military
medicine concept is changing.  Our particular facility is very supportive of
breastfeeding.  Perhaps, it is because of a few individuals who work hard to
keep the breastfeeding issue alive.  Last year, the Clincial Nurse Specialist
& I (an NICU RN & LC), gave our OB docs a morning presentation on what's
available to support our breastfeeding moms.  They received copies of our
resource handout, the books we have on hand, info about the prenatal
breastfeeding classes, the negative effects on milk volume of low-dose oral
contraceptives for the NICU mom who is pumping to maintain lactation, who to
contact with a problem & what some of their clients had said about their OB
experiences after I interviewed 100 moms at the 2-week Well Baby visit.  We
had lots of fun and even shared the cabbage leaves info & article with them.
 They know that we keep cabbage on the nursing unit and where to find it.
 Currently all of our docs come running when they have a mom who needs
assistance.  I had to chuckle, one doc came up to me after the presentation,
and said "I don't know as much about breastfeeding as you think I do"....I
just smiled, knowing full well that he was clueless.  Only this week, the
same doc came back to me to report that he had referred one of his clients to
the local rental station to purchase breast shells for "inverted" nipples.
 That's progress.  The CNS and I are always contacted when one of their
clients has mastitis, a candida infection or other breastfeeding problem.
 The OB docs rely on us to help them adequately treat a complicated
infection.  They listen and they take our suggestions.  Progress is slow, but
as with anything, mutual respect & a sense of humor prevail.  I have one
fellow Peds doc who is always leaving current medical  breastfeeding articles
in my message box.  He is proud to wear the button on his lab coat "A breast
a day keeps the Doctor Away" which I brought back to him from last years ILCA
conference.     In fairness to all, not all docs are nerds about
breastfeeding, most just never received much information in medical school
about breastfeeding or related problems and most don't have the time to spend
trying to solve a problem they know little or absolutely nothing about.
 Let's teach them instead of judging them...it pays off, not only to us, but
to the clients and their breastfeeding babies.

Thanks for the opportunity,

Mary Lou McGee, RNC, IBCLC
El Paso, Texas