Here's the second post.. (ATN is acute tubular necrosis - a kidney problem)
>
> Clearly, breastfeeding is not a simple straightforward subject like
ATN...
> As we all have our perspective on things (my residency director is a
> pediatric nephrologist - from his standpoint the purpose of the heart is
to
> pump blood to the kidneys).
>
> Dr. 2 writes:
>
> << Given that we Docs get little or no formal training in med school on
>  breastfeeding  >>
>
> Geez, I got news for you as you complete your residency and join the rest
> of
> us in the real world.  You are not going to get "formal" training in med
> school on a lot of things that you will need to be a good pediatrician.
As
> a
> pediatrician, you are smart and you can think which means you can read,
> learn
> and educate yourself as you practice the art of medicine.  The art &
> practice
> of medicine is a never-ending learning process - you must be the true
> "professional student" for the rest of your career.  Medical school does
> not
> teach you everything you need; it only gives you a good basis to start
> with,
> if you know what I mean.
>
>  From my perspective, medical school (and many residencies unfortunately,
> as well) medical school DOES NOT give you a good basis on breastfeeding.
> I'm sorry but 30 minutes on prolactin does not equal "basis", much less
> "good basis".  To omit information about how the majority of the world's
> infants are initially fed is NOT acceptable. [and before anyone starts
with
> USA stuff - I must have sat through 6 sessions on malaria and I have yet
to
> see a case here]
>
> This lack of information forms the basis of the misinformation that is
> passed down from doc to doc which is why, Dr. 2, patients don't trust
> their docs to know about breastfeeding.  If they felt we were the source
of
> good information and that we took their desire  to breastfeed their
babies
> as seriously as they do then they would come to us.  Some docs have a
> better reputation than others and some will just interact better with
some
> parents.
>
> As to who has a better reputation - your moms can tell you.
Interestingly,
> breastfeeding management is a lot like proper manners - the people that
> need the most help are the last to realize it.  So often docs will give
> advice and since nothing "bad" happens think that the advice is just fine
-
> without realizing that it was so off base that mom knew better than to
> follow it.
>
> I wholeheartedly agree that medicine is a lifelong learning process, that
> was one of the things that attracted me to it as a second career - yes,
I'm
> recycled - and I have as you suggested, done reading  to learn and even
> writing to teach others.  It is interesting, though, as many conferences
> and lectures I have attended on breastfeeding -physicians are poorly
> represented...
>
> Gail S. Hertz, MD, IBCLC
> Pediatric Resident  (R-2, halfway through)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>