In a message dated 12/19/98 11:02:24 PM Central Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: << How many MDs are there with training in lactation? >> You know, it is easy to nit-pick a doctor's education by saying that they only received a 30 minute didactic lecture on the pathophysiology of breastmilk production in med school; hence, what the heck do they know about breastfeeding. It is also very easy when you spend your entire "professional" career on breastmilk, breastfeeding & consulting about lactation issues to be insensitive, hypercritical and "know-it-allish" as you point out the speck in the doctor's eye when that physician has to manage the "whole" patient with a zillion other concerns, worries & "what-if's". I received very little "formal" training in lactation during my "formal" medical education; however, I vividly remember to this day that sleepy morning during our sign-in rounds (all ped residents meet together to plan the day, discuss patients and such). One-third of the residents were sleeping with saliva drooling down their chin because they had been up all night drawing blood, starting IV's, admitting patients and answer every phone call from every nurse about every patient's sneeze. Another third were carrying on personal conversations about this and that. Then, there was that final third, including me, who listened intently as our senior resident gave a summary about a recent medical meeting that he attended. He gave a serious but passionate talk about how we, future pediatricians, should be more interested, involved and educated about breastfeeding concerns, problems, difficulties........... I was impressed and I was determined to accomplish this! I purchased (on slave wages) Breastfeeding - a guide for the medical profession by Ruth Lawrence MD and read it from cover to cover (I still have this 1985 edition). I attended (at my own expense) a conference dedicated only to breastfeeding (for physicians) in New Orleans. And as they say, the rest is history! I intensely fought to keep my 3 month old son on the breast when he was hospitalized for an UTI and the doc's casually recommended the usual typical formula/pump&dump/whatever. My wife almost lost her BM but I recommended and we tried every trick in the book to keep it and we were successful! I am proud to say that my medical practice is known for my strong unequivocal support for breastfeeding. Now, I am not trying to beat my own drum here but as you can see, it is really up to the MD's to determine their own fate with this matter. It is probably not typical but I imagine that one/third of my fellow residents never heard that BM talk (no fault of their own, one must sleep when you get a chance) and missed a goldern opportunity, another one/third did not really care (the one's that you have to deal with and complain about) and then there is the last one/third who really care about breastfeeding and have obtained extensive knowledge/experience/training about lactation that is superb! Obviously it is that last third that we, LC's & MD's, wish represented all MD's! IMHO Andrew MD FAAP [log in to unmask]