As Kathleen Bruce just warned us not to generalize, I'm going to do it
anyway. Family Practice Physicians are great friends of breastfeeding
advocates!!!  In all my years of practice, I've never met a family
practice doc who did not actively support breastfeeding, and with an
accurate, up-to-date knowledge of the medical literature at that! I
always look forward to encountering family physicians, as they always
reinforce what I've told patients, rather than tearing it down.

What puzzles me is where to find more of these gems. If I was looking for
a pediatrician, I'd contact the AAP. If I was looking for an
obstetrician, I'd contact ACOG. Where do I find a similar organization
for family physicians?  Family physicians, are you out there?  Where can
I find more of you???

My last experience of family physicians has been different than my
experience in northern Virginia, however. I spent most of my career in
Rochester NY where family physicians did prenatal care, deliveries, and
care of infants and children, as well as teenagers and grandparents. Here
(I'm about 20 miles outside of Washington DC) all of the family
physician ads state, "Accepting clients over three years old" and they do
not provide maternity services. Needless to say, families are generally
not breastfeeding after three years old. So tell me, am I just reading
the wrong ads? Do practice privileges differ from state to state? How can
I find more of these wonderful doctors?

--
Marie Biancuzzo, RN MS                      Perinatal Nurse Consultant
PO Box 1562                                        Phone: 703-758-0092
Herndon, Virginia 22070-1562     email: [log in to unmask]