There is really nothing that gets me more annoyed than a medical professional giving out misinformation about breastfeeding. Unless they have gone through specific lactation training then they do not have the information needed to advise you about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not a part of medical curriculum; that round they did through labor and delivery or the anatomy class does not count. Our doctors, pharmacists and dentists are an important part of our lives, but they are not to be used for breastfeeding guidance.
And here’s why. Breastfeeding is a field all its own. The lactation professionals have gone through years of rigorous training much like your doctor but specifically in lactation. Most of the information out there is wrong. It’s been passed down from well-meaning people and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. This is why it’s so important to hire a lactation consultant for your breastfeeding needs.
If you are breastfeeding and are getting information about the safety of medications from your pharmacist, about cavities from your dentist or about the quality of your breastmilk from your doctor, then it is most likely wrong. Most of you know it’s wrong when you hear it which is why I end up hearing from so many of you! “Hey Abby, my doctor told me my milk isn’t fatty enough. Is that really true?” I hear this all day.
So what to do? Do we confront these people? We need these people and they are most likely in your life because you value them for the other support and services that they provide your family. So what do you do when someone you trust is giving you information that seems wrong, discourages breastfeeding or is unsupportive? Click here to listen to our full conversation about this on the Badass Breastfeeding Podcast!
