Nancy Wrote:

I agree,  except all the doctor has to do is to make the case that the LC
is, in  his/her opinion, "harming" his patients or the doctor-patient
relationship.

Ann Wrote:

Nancy, this is kind of a scary statement.  It sounds like if a patient
requested other services that a physician does not care for, they would be
either denied these services or the LC who saw the patient could lose their
 job.
I some time sense these feeling at work that the physician is always  correct
and anyone daring to contradict what they say could be in jeopardy of  their
job.  With what you just wrote this seems to give credit to this  fear.  :-((
How can any of us practice if this is what we must fear?
Ann Perry, RN, IBCLC
Boston, MA


Ann,
We all have biases.  I know there are doctors in the area that I am less
comfortable with and, given the choice, I will refer patients to more
breastfeeding friendly docs.  I don't believe that I am alone in this
practice.

How do you jump from seeing a patient without the doctor's permission (did I
read that right?) to to someone losing their job?  Wow, that's a huge leap.
 I really wasn't aware that a woman needed her doctor's permission to seek
the help of a trained breastfeeding professional.

And as far as contradicting an MD and losing your job, is this your
perception or has this actually happened in your area - where the reason for
termination was because an LC contradicted a physician?  That sounds pretty
extreme and questionably legal.

Sometimes, because a certain doc has a reputation for being a bear or
uncooperative or even down-right nasty, he or she is feared.  To that I say
"phooey."  If I know I'm right, and I know that my suggestions are in the
best interest of the mother and baby, I will stand by them, regardless of
whether or not I make somebody mad.  And that doen't mean you have to be
confrontational, either.  Just firm.

Honestly, if I worked in an atmosphere where I felt fear of losing my job
for DOING my job, I would look for an alternate place of employment, even if
that meant going out on my own.

Theresa Chmiel, CLC, ICCE

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