I have found that one of the most effective ways to change a Doctors
viewpoint is to be sure that a mother who takes another approach
reports her experience to the Dr.  For example, a mother calls me and
tells me that her Dr. has advised weaning.....has told her that her
babe's late onset jaundice will not go away with continued
breastfeeding.  I give the mother information and encouragement.
When the jaundice goes away,  I make a point of telling this mother
that the Dr. needs to hear what happened, see the healthy baby, and
know who provided her with the other information.     Somehow, this
throws the experience into the realm of "personal experience" for the
Dr.     I don't know about you, but I learn best from personal
experience.   This naturally doesn't work as well if the mother is
unwilling to take an "unapproved" approach.

Personally,  while I was in my breastfeeding career, which spanned 8
years and three childrens worth of continuous nursing, I changed Dr.s
5 times.   I was not seeking a Dr. who was supportive of
breastfeeding.  Instead, when I heard of a Dr who was especially ill
informed, I would save the name...and take my child there the next
time they needed attention.   I found that my calm and informed
approach to Breastfeeding, together with my healthy child  were the
best information packet going.    One dr, who informed me at my first
visit, that he hadn't had a child nurse past 6 months in his
practice, because he advocated a "common sense" approach,  was last
seen 2 years later singing the virtues of  nursing a 3 year old.
He's not ever going to be a die hard breastfeeding advocate who warns
his patients about the dangers of ABM, but he's not an active
deterrent anymore, AND he knows when to make a referral.

So many Doctors....so little time.

Stephanie Pearl IBCLC