Hopefully, an obstetrician would have a far BETTER handle on breastfeeding because it is part of the entire pregnancy and birth scenario. I would expect a GP or internist to have far LESS knowledge of this process (unless it happens to be a special interest). Someone with a mastitis needs ongoing follow-up, not a quick visit with an ER doc. They often tell the mother to stop nursing, which is the worst advice anyone with mastitis can be given. A woman with a difficult case may even need a surgical consult. I am all for specialists when necessary and someone with a mastitis needs the expertise of someone who is familiar with breast anatomy, hormonal influences and breast diseases. Betsy Riedel RNC,IBCLC Connecticut *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html