In a message dated 12/19/98 11:02:24 PM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< How many MDs are
 there with training in lactation?  >>

You know, it is easy to nit-pick a doctor's education by saying that they only
received a 30 minute didactic lecture on the pathophysiology of breastmilk
production in med school; hence, what the heck do they know about
breastfeeding.  It is also very easy when you spend your entire "professional"
career on breastmilk, breastfeeding & consulting about lactation issues to be
insensitive, hypercritical and "know-it-allish" as you point out the speck in
the doctor's eye when that physician has to manage the "whole" patient with a
zillion other concerns, worries & "what-if's".
I received very little "formal" training in lactation during my "formal"
medical education; however, I vividly remember to this day that sleepy morning
during our sign-in rounds (all ped residents meet together to plan the day,
discuss patients and such).  One-third of the residents were sleeping with
saliva drooling down their chin because they had been up all night drawing
blood, starting IV's, admitting patients and answer every phone call from
every nurse about every patient's sneeze.  Another third were carrying on
personal conversations about this and that.  Then, there was that final third,
including me, who listened intently as our senior resident gave a summary
about a recent medical meeting that he attended.  He gave a serious but
passionate talk about how we, future pediatricians, should be more interested,
involved and educated about breastfeeding concerns, problems,
difficulties...........
I was impressed and I was determined to accomplish this!  I purchased (on
slave wages) Breastfeeding - a guide for the medical profession by Ruth
Lawrence MD and read it from cover to cover (I still have this 1985 edition).
I attended (at my own expense) a conference dedicated only to breastfeeding
(for physicians) in New Orleans.  And as they say, the rest is history!  I
intensely fought to keep my 3 month old son on the breast when he was
hospitalized for an UTI and the doc's casually recommended the usual typical
formula/pump&dump/whatever.  My wife almost lost her BM but I recommended and
we tried every trick in the book to keep it and we were successful!  I am
proud to say that my medical practice is known for my strong unequivocal
support for breastfeeding.  Now, I am not trying to beat my own drum here but
as you can see, it is really up to the MD's to determine their own fate with
this matter.  It is probably not typical but I imagine that one/third of my
fellow residents never heard that BM talk (no fault of their own, one must
sleep when you get a chance) and missed a goldern opportunity, another
one/third did not really care (the one's that you have to deal with and
complain about) and then there is the last one/third who really care about
breastfeeding and have obtained extensive knowledge/experience/training about
lactation that is superb!  Obviously it is that last third that we, LC's &
MD's, wish represented all MD's!
IMHO
Andrew MD FAAP
[log in to unmask]