I don't think we have to worry about this becoming widespread!  But it did
cause me to reflect on how tough it must be for good, caring docs to "take
all comers" :  the asthmatic child with smoking parents, the children who
aren't put in car seats, the allergic child with parents who breed cats, etc.
 Imagine the feelings of cardiologists asked to care for smoking,
non-exercising, obese men with high blood pressure who shovel snow!

I have heard of midwives requiring that their clients plan to breastfeed for
a minimum number of weeks.  IMO homebirth midwives would be justified in
requiring at least the initiation of bf to prevent excess blood loss and
delayed uterine involution.

Physicians and other professionals should have some ability to choose who
they serve.  There may be pediatricians who refuse my children because they
are selectively vaccinated on a schedule different than the CDC recommends.
There are physicians who refuse to do plastic surgery or sterilization
procedures on clients under a certain age.  No physicians in my community
will provide medical back-up for homebirth.  This thread started because a
dentist refused to see bf toddlers.

I don't like it, but I respect their desire to make some choices about how
they use their talents/time.  Taking responsibility for our parenting
decisions has to include the recognition that others might choose not to
support us.

Elaine Ziska
Jackson, MS

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