Recently,  I did two professional conference's one to 30-40 NP's and one to
20-30 MD's.   I was quite anxious about them both because the subject of
course was lactation and I am compelled to discuss all the changes that need
to occur in our system.  As you know people don't like to change.

I was extremely surprise and heartened by the NP response, overjoyed,  in
fact, they interacted, were excited  and  seemed receptive to incorporate
some changes into their practices.   I even got a call the next day to thank
me for the "excellent presentation."

The MD presentation was to OB residents.  There were some positive highlights
and when I first walked in one resident looked in a Mead Johnson
"Breastfeeding Success" bag and said, " That's not a breastfeeding success
bag!"   But overall it was silent when I asked questions or showed cartoons
and there was even some animosity.   Most disquieting of all was hearing that
one MD stated that, he couldn't believe my numbers and that discredited me at
the get go.  How is this possible?  I used the Dept of Agricultures numbers,
Ball and Wright's numbers,   Cunninghams and ABM's.  I knew that credibility
would be a problem so I only used maybe one or two studiesfrom other non-MD
sources.

I understand that this is an uphill battle and that the fact that I am not an
MD makes me less credible.  I understand that MD's are less willing to
change.

What I am not sure of is what seems to trigger most MD's and other health
care providers understanding of "how breastfeeding fits into the bigger
picture,  how powerful breastmilk really is in terms of infant health  and
how much it truly costs us to make up for this initial lack of use for human
milk. "

When I think back on my own journey of learning about lactation.  I can
pinpoint to certain extent when I started to finally "get it"   I think it
was when I started reading the early morbidity/mortality studies--like
Woodridge and Chicago and  Cunningham's reviews of them.  It wasn't long
before I realized that this effect didn't just disappear--it's still there.
It's just harder to measure, harder to see.  And it will always be there
because it is an inherent law of nature that nature will ALWAYS be more
powerful than medical science.

So Lactnet providers especially MD's what event, what info, what article,
WHAT ??  seemed to triggered your own understanding of the importance of
human milk?

I am sure that somewhere here on Lactnet the answers lie and with those
answers BF coalitions,  LA Leche ,  ABM and individuals like myself can  more
effectively trigger change.   If any one has any study refernces I would
appreciate them.

Chris Betzold NP IBCLC
<A HREF="http://www.starfireinternational.net/breastfed">http://www.starfireinternational.net/breastfed</A>

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