Tonight there was a new episode for a show called, "Strong Medicine" on
Lifetime-cable. I am sure the episode will be repeated. A mom had a baby that
was not gaining well from nursing. The doctor took the mom and baby to see
the lactation specialist in the hospital. There were two other moms nursing
babies in the room. The 1st mom did not want to breastfeed in front of the
other moms. The "specialist" said the breastfeeding is the most natural thing
in the world. Then she asked the mom to tell her what positions she has been
using.

The specialist spouted off about three different holds. The mom looked very
confused. The main doctor of the show asked the mom to show the specialist
how she nurses. The baby is shown crying as the mom tries to breastfeed. The
specialist reaches over to help her latch the baby and the mom slaps her
hand. The mom wants formula and the specialist yells at her about nipple
confusion and that she will ruin the breastfeeding if she does this. The
doctor takes the specialist to another room and they have a little argument
over the whole event. The specialist says breast is best stuff while the
doctor comes away saying that breastmilk is marginally better than formula.

The show also had another mom give birth to a stillborn. The mom with the
breastfeeding problems ends up with postpartum depression and goes on
antidepressant drugs. The mom tells the doctor she is a failure because she
has to give formula now because of the drugs.

The doctor has an idea about "donor" breastmilk. The last part of the show
shows the mom that lost the baby nursing the 1st mom's baby in the waiting
room of the clinic/hospital. The baby's mom was sleeping on the couch (on her
drugs).

I was crying at the end of all this! What a sad way to portray
breastfeeding/postpartum depression/lactation "specialists."

Thanks for letting me share this lovely episode,
Annette Leibovitz

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