Diane Wiessinger wrote: > "I think it is important to remember that most docs are doing the > best they can with the education they have." > > Are they really? Would we cut them this much slack if they were handing out antacids to everyone with chest pain? Even if babies breastfeed only to the AAP minimum of a year, those 10-or-so visits represent about a third of all the well visits that child will have with a pediatrician. For them to *decide* to remain ignorant rather than *deciding* to set out and learn something about such a key piece of pediatrics is scandalous. When information is available, ignorance is a choice, not a genetic condition. > > Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC Ithaca, NY USA, who went to bed after writing this last night, before she got any crankier > www.wiessinger.baka.com > > *********************************************** > Diane, I totally agree with you. How doctors get out of medical school not understanding something as basic as "breastfeeding follows birth" - breastfeeding is the NORMAL course of things once a baby is born - I think that's very, very sad indeed. I am sure they are taught about how the digestive system NORMALLY functions, how the cardiovascular system NORMALLY functions, how the nervous system NORMALLY functions. I like what one of the previous posters said about how she teaches that breastfeeding is not better, it's NORMAL. And that there are no advantages to breastfeeding, only disadvantages to NOT breastfeeding! I am sure that any doctor can list the disadvantages of not eating mostly healthy foods, or not exercising, etc. But something as basic as "breastfeeding follows birth"? What's the problem here? I would love to, someday, give lectures to doctors, residents or medical students. Someday when all my little ones are grown and I have more time to think!! I'd love to be a part of changing this... (Sorry I'm kinda cranky too, had a migraine last night and I'm 37 weeks pregnant...) Liz Cammin, RN *********************************************** 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 email list is powered by LISTSERV (R). There is only one LISTSERV. To learn more, visit: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html