I've been thinking recently about the huge disconnect between the evidence
based information that is available about breastfeeding, and the mainstream
advice that most parents receive (which is usually very far from being
evidence based!).  I've learned so much since I had my first child, and it's
all information that I really wish I had known before he was born. I'm well
educated, I have a degree in life sciences, and I'm an RN with a background
in obstetrics, and I thought that I was well informed before having my first
child. In retrospect, I was well informed, however I was well informed with
the wrong kind of information. 

I realize that a lot of it has to do with the marketing done by formula
manufacturers, but it amazes me that in this day and age when so much of the
evidence based information about breastfeeding is readily available on-line
that there are still so many health care professionals that are truly
ignorant when it comes to breastfeeding. 

I sometimes read the breastfeeding forums on a couple of parenting message
boards, and it's a wonderful reminder of the kinds of questions that moms
have. Most of their questions are quite basic, and it's a great example of
the fact that parents aren't getting the *basic* information about
breastfeeding that they should be (my work as a LLLL shows me that too).
I sometimes find that the more I learn, and the more I work with more
challenging cases, the easier it is to forget about the simpler issues that
most mothers are dealing with. These "simple"issues are not so simple to
them, and they can lead to supplementing and weaning because the mom doesn't
have basic information. I also see a lot of misinformation (or incomplete
information) being spread on these message boards, because these moms want
to help one another (which is wonderful), but no one has accurate information. 
I find it very frustrating that there is a huge body of knowledge available
and yet is doesn't seem to be reaching the right people. Thoughts?

Warmly,
Fleur Bickford BSc., RN, LLLL
Ontario, Canada 

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