Nikki writes,
So as not to get too confused, this is from me (Jan): <<As for the St. John's
Wort: the statement is made: "So I wouldn't tell
her yes or no either -- my job in that situation is to give her the
information about
St. John's Wort & breastfeeding, pure and simple.">>
Then Nikki says:
<< People believe that
because they are taking herbs, there are no risks or side effects because
herbs are natural. They need all the information in this situation, for
safety reasons. I know about depression and how it can hide anemia or a
hypothyroid situation; this mother doesn't. So my obligation, since she has
called me as the authority, is to give her all the information about her
condition, encourage a thorough evaluation, and also to see a certified
herbalist. >>
Two comments here -- one, I DON'T know about depression from a clinical
perspective, so I CAN'T give her all the information about her condition.
That is the province of the clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, or her
primary health care physician. And I did say that I would certainly
recommend that she see that person, and I do NOT recommend she self medicate
w/ St. John's Wort until she has discussed it w/ her physician, but I
reiterate, my job is to tell her whether or not, according to all the
literature I have on the subject, if St. John's Wort is compatible w/
breastfeeding. Then if she and her physician decide on using SJW, or she
decides on her own, at least they have some written info to go by.
Nikki mentions referring her to a certified herbalist. Certified by whom?
How do you know this person didn't just take a 5 day course and passed a test
given at the end of the course? I'm not sure I would feel any more
comfortable referring a mom to someone who is labeled a "certified herbalist"
than I do referring a mom to someone who has taken a 5 day lactation course
and now calls herself a CLC or CBE or CLE or whatever. I know absolutely
nothing about what type of training one has to have to be a certified
herbalist. Do they have a national registry of people that have gone through
a specified program -- similar to IBLCEs? I truly want to know -- my
knowledge of herbs is based on what I have read, and though I've read a lot,
I find most of the information woefully lacking. I think it would be great
to refer to a certified herbalist, but by gum, I want to make sure the person
to whom I am referring is truly qualified and not someone who has taken a
one-day-wonder course somewhere.
Do you expect every mother to go back to her physician to ask him about
everything -- such as, "What can I take for my headache while I'm
breastfeeding?"
Jan -- who still wants an opinion on 'diagnosing' -- and Becky, what did Pris
say at the conference? I missed it.
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