Is the Medical Community Failing Breastfeeding Mothers?

Most medical professionals, including those associated with birthing such obstetricians, paediatricians and midwives, and also local doctors who see a lot of newly post natal mothers experiencing difficulty, aren't well trained in the area of breastfeeding according to Healthland Time.

They noted that it wasn't uncommon to spend only one day of learning about breastfeeding during their training.

They also noted that it wasn't uncommon for mothers to be bounced around from one specialty to another - with no real understanding of whether breastfeeding problems fit with the obstetrician or the paediatrician.

Now I did go through five years at university and I understand how intense all that learning an be. It is quite understandable that if the teaching of a subject is given so little time that when preparing for the many exams, students would be less likely to place much emphasis on this than on something that has been given much more time and much more information. ( a little "off the hook, move straight to Go and collect $200" from me to the local doctor who amazingly copes with whatever walk through the door)

In saying this though, it strikes me as sad that our specialists, who are dealing with newborns, and who do know and preach that breast is best, do not make it easy for new mothers to breastfeed comfortably and easily and find information when they are struggling.

The article talks of one poor woman who did not have her low supply issue diagnosed in time, had a baby who "failed to thrive" and was forced, through lack of information but no lack of trying to find answers, to formula feed her newborn.

It also highlights the fact that she'd seen lactation consultants (note the s, there was more than one) who just told her that the baby wasn't latcing on properly......

Now, I know personally how much difference a good latch makes and how important it is, but coming from an outsiders eye (and I'm not suggesting all lactation consultants are like this) it just seems that it's only about the latch and not much about other potential milk transfer issues.

In saying this, I do know many fabulous lactation consultants who would have followed this woman right through and found the true problem and helped her through it, but, and it's a big but, there is sooooo much variability out there that you could see several different people. be given several different sets of advice and still not find the solution you need.

Perhaps it's time we reassessed how much the medical profession know about lactation consultants and how the lactation consultant training is run (which is usually online courses with some observation of an existing consultant - no checks or balances on the courses and no checks or balances on who you observe....)

Other pages that might be interesting

Back to the Breastfeeding Babies Blog

Back to the Breastfeeding Babies Blog Back Catalogue