I was so incensed after watching this program last evening (which I had taped)
that I watched the most offensive parts again this morning.  I then Emailed
Lifetime with my comments.

I told them it was unfortunate that they had chosen to portray a caricature
rather than a true to life consultant.  This "specialist" ignored the client's
request for privacy, commented loudly on her "large nipples!" and attempted to
touch her without her permission.  She spouted robotic dogma on nipple confusion
and showed no empathy whatsoever.  The client was then saved by the heroine
OB/GYN, who told her breastmilk was only "marginally" better than formula.

They both ignored the mother's clear symptoms of PPD, until the end of the
program when the OB sent her to a psychiatrist.  She was put on antidepressants,
which both MDs said precluded breastfeeding or giving breastmilk.  The MD
repeated her statement that formula was an acceptable alternative, but as the
mother was grieving for the loss of breastfeeding, she suggested banked donor
milk.  She said that although babies should have medical indications for
receiving it, she would circumvent the rules.

The show ended with another mother (who was portrayed as a teen with a
questionably wild lifestyle) breastfeeding this baby, while the PPD mother slept
next to her on the couch in the doctor's waiting room.

I said in my Email that I hoped their misinformation would not keep
breastfeeding mothers from seeking help for PPD (thinking they would need to
stop breastfeeding), or encourage moms on medication to stop taking it.  I also
wonder how many women would choose not to seek help from a lactation consultant
after seeing this program.

If anyone else would like to check it out first hand, it will be repeated next
Saturday late in the evening on Lifetime.

Grace Doolittle, RNC
Minneapolis, MN   USA

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html