In a message dated 12/22/98 9:15:12 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< By all means find a pediatrician that is well educated if you can , but if
not
 we have got to educate the ones we've got. >>

Cheryl and everyone else,

I actually think that as informed and caring members of the community, it
actually makes more sense for us to teach our pediatricians about
breastfeeding.  If we wait for the slow sea change among doctors that will be
caused by the slowing growing awareness of the superiority of breastfeeding
among mothers, we'll be waiting a lot longer than if we make sure that our
current doctors are learning a little from every time we visit.

Instead of "preaching to the choir", we can help make sure that people who
never gave much thought to breastfeeding start to think about it.  A favorite
tactic of mine with doctors is to mention that the new AAP guidelines state
that breastfeeding is to be regarded as the normal model of infant nutrition;
doesn't that mean that instead of talking about the benefits of breastfeeding
we should be discussing the hazards of artificial feeding?

Anyhow, to restate something that many others have said, it's far more useful
to open up a dialogue instead of creating an adversarial relationship.  As
much as we'd like to hit some of the more unenlightened medical personnel over
the head with the reams of research supporting human milk as the best choice
for human babies, by having a bit of patience we can eventually get through to
all but the most recalcitrant.

In the pediatric practice I use for my two daughters, I *know* that I've made
a difference.  Instead of just advising formula as the automatic fix for any
and all breastfeeding problems, they're realizing that most breastfeeding
problems can be fixed, and that breastfeeding is about more than just food.
Yes, they're still pretty far from where I'd like them to be, but they're
closer than they were before they had to deal with a mother who asked for
references for bad breastfeeding advice and provided references and
alternatives to help add to their store of information.  (I have to thank many
of you for having given me the ammo to make that happen, BTW!)

Yes, it's NOT our responsibility to educate doctors; they should care enough
to do it themselves -- but who is going to make them realize they *should*
care?  Walking away from a breastfeeding-unfriendly practice could be good if
you live in a community where many women are likely to feel the same way and
you won't be dismissed as an isolated nutcase.  I would hazard to guess that a
large percentage of us don't live in such a community.  (I sure don't.)

Leaving a practice because they're not breastfeeding friendly may be the best
choice for some people, but I think that -- particularly if you're happy with
the practice in other ways -- it can make a lot of sense to stay with them and
use it as an opportunity to establish a relationship that allows you to share
information with them, and challenge any misinformation.

Diane