As Dr. Newman says-"ARGH!"
Naturally ,while I was out to lunch a lady with a breastfeeding concern
came to see the OB-GYN. Why was she in the clinic? Bec. she was
convinced she was pregnant. Why? Because she hasn't gotten her period.
Why? Bec. she's breastfeeding a six month old!The doc tells me-I was
looking for you, this lady wanted something in black and white saying
that she won't get her period while breastfeeding. She said no one told her that would happen....
So why the need to vent? Because when I offered to send this lady some
info on LAM the doc went ballistic. "NO! WE DO NOT TEACH THAT
BREASTFEEDING IS BIRTH CONTROL IS THIS CLINIC!"
Folks, at least I don't have to convince you all that this a method with
a 2% failure rate-read that 98% success rate-which is way up there with
other methods at NO COST TO THE MOTHER OR TO THE STATE. The mom is not
messing with her hormones, etc etc. The doc wanted me to show the mom
something that said "breastfeeding women do not menstruate". Why
couldn't the OB find this material without asking me for it??  In this
population moms need more of an explanation than that-they think they need to get their period or something is wrong, the blood builds up  and
other myths. The doc was not interested in the benefits of breastfeeding
to this mother who has been through the system and the doc made value
judgments all along the way about the mother. I think the doc wanted to pull my chain by mentioning it to me at all.
ARGH
Pearl Shifer, IBCLC