Pat Gima's post was sad but too often true.  However, it need not be, and
increasingly is not.

I noted that every one of the MDs whose advice she mentioned was offered by
people who had experienced (a) very short breastfeeding; (b)
bottle-feeding.  These people were speaking FROM THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, not
from the ample evidence.

Clearly, education relating to lactation (other than that the breast is a
site of breast cancer) needs to become a standard part of medical education
from the first year THROUGH residency for certain key specialties (for all
med students in the first four years).

Until that happens, we are going to continue to hear MDs (and other health
professionals and family members) speak from their own experience rather
than from the data.

Perhaps one way to counter this is to point it out.  Do we have to have a
Cesarean in order to help women who have? Must we have experienced cardiac
surgery in order to assist someone who has? Must we have had breast cancer
in order to provide information about it?

Must get down off this soapbox before I pass out from hyperventilation!  :-)

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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly
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Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask]
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