Hi,

I'm a family physician and medical anthropology student starting a
research project to gain insight on why, despite evidence about the
health importantce of BF and strong professional guidelines urging
physicians to support BF, physician involvement with BF is not
infrequently ambivalent and poorly informed.  We know it is in part due to
lack of education on the subject.  I want to explore what else are
factors, so they can be redressed.  One area in particular which needs to
be explored are beliefs about parenting.  Can you help suggest specific
topics that need to be addressed, i.e. their beliefs reagrding bed
sharing, how long children should BF and why, attachment vs.
independence-building parenting.....In your experience, what cultural
attitudes among physicians facilitate/compromise optimal support for BF

Also, feel free to comment more broadly on ways in which you think
parents' advice from and encounters with medical personnel and systems
promotes/undermines their confidence in and success with BF.  Do you have
suggestions for improvement?

Please respond to my PERSONAL account, which I read more regularly and so
I don't overload the list.  Thanks for your input.

*********************************************************************
MaryAnn O'Hara, MD, MSt
Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program
University of Washington
1959 NE Pacific, Rm H-220 Health Sciences Center, Box 357183
Seattle, WA 98195-7183
(office)         # 206-616-8724
(home office)      206-329-6870
(fax)              206-685-2473
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
*********************************************************************

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