Lori
I'm sorry but you've pushed a few of my buttons!  My profession is no
'lesser' a profession than an MDs, therefore when I am speaking about
something about which I have professional (and research-based) knowledge I
do not tailor what I say because someone else doesn't like it.
The women come to you for breastfeeding information and that is what they
should get - as much as they want to know regardless of what anyone else
would prefer they don't know.  Surely you would be negligent in your duty
to that woman NOT to provide her with the knowledge she wants, you possess
and she has approached you for.
In response to the Docs I'm afraid I'd be answering to the effect that I
teach what I believe to be correct and if they have information which is
contrary to what I am teaching please give me the research which I will
read diligently and change my practice accordingly.
Now I can understand the Obs concern about her refusing an epidural -
basically he's only doing what he believes to be best for the woman and her
babies. It would be far more appropriate for him to say yes there are 'side
effects' of epidurals, but the reason I want to use one is .... which I
feel outweighs the 'side effects'.  Then he would have a fully informed
mother who could make up her own mind.
The other thing of course is that many of the women in your classes will
have epidurals (or whatever) anyway and therefore the class should be
advising of their effects, but also how to deal with these effects after
the event.

Lori, please don't think of yourself as inferior to any other profession.
So long as you stay up to date in your field of expertise, and stay within
the boundaries of your expertise, than don't let anyone or any other
professional influence your practice.  Surely, even in the States, you
would have the full weight of the law on your side (to say nothing of
morals, ethics and 'doing the right thing').

OK - getting down off my soap box.

Denise
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Denise Fisher, BN, RM, IBCLC
BreastEd Online Lactation Studies Course
http://www.breasted.com.au
mailto:[log in to unmask]
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