So, I went to the GP today, and ended up educating him on current WHO recommendations......

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Why do they not know this?

Why do I have to make a point of mentioning that I am b/feeding when obtaining a prescription - its not that unusual?

Just as well I did too as I couldnt have the medication he was about to prescribe if b/feeding.

Didn't know whether to laugh or snarl when his eyes nearly popped out when I said I was still breastfeeding. He asked how old DS was, and his eyes nearly popped out again, and he said "But, its only a year you feed to, isnt it?"

I dont care about the general public's knowledge on and bias on b/feeding, but GPs....
c'mon....

[CKMUM]

You don't say how ould your child is but I have complained about GP who said I shouldn't be breastfeeding my 2 year old because at that age she needs lots of nutritious foods and more recently about HV who said twice about feeding her (now aged 2 and a half) meant she would never sleep through the night and her teeth would rot as its like giving sweets constantly

[hunkermunster]

FGS!

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

OH yes, I can see how its like giving sweets.....

DS is 18 months....

[Caribbeanqueen]

My (female) gp said breastmilk has no nutritional benefit after 8 months.

I had just told her I was still bf at 2 yrs.

[Adorabelle]

VVVV, I couldn't agree more. I went to see the dr recently with a kidney infection, he
printed out the prescription & when I told him I was bfeeding & was it suitable to take this he nearly fainted

Dd was sitting on my lap at the time, he looked at her & said "She is surely 3 why is she still bfeeding?"

I told him very calmly that she was 2 in June (she's v.tall & does look about 3) & she would continue to bfeed for as long as she wanted to.

Silly old bugger didn't get it at all & looked totally confused. What more can you do?

[sweetkitty]

DD2 had her 8 month check today with the HV she began with this "Did you ever breastfeed her?" me "yes about 2 hours ago I still am breastfeeding her" oh she said well done then told me to keep going for as long as I wanted to!

BFing rates are so low up here I'm sure she was really shocked.

[3andnomore]

Actually sadly, especially after like 6 weeks it gt slightly unuusal to bf, so, it's always a good idea to inform a HP...because they can't just guess....! Also one can't forget, that lahtough, I agree, GP's should know about BF more and what should be done, most british gp's will not come across moms that bf longer very often, and often they are that old they are still all into ff and still believe ff is better, lol...the old ones, the newer one will probably say the same, unless they are engaged in the whole breastfeeding thing and did their own research ad are openminded, lol, then they probably will say "YEAH"

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

To a certain extent, its not that I mind so much about his incorrect facts (which is bad enough itself), but the suggestion that there is a time limit to doing it ('you mustnt go past one year!!!!'), as opposed to a minimum recommendation iykwim?

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

This wasnt a stuffy, grey/balding GP, it was, I believe - a young(ish) locum.

[3andnomore]

locum younbg ones proba don't know more neiteher, sigh..hey come on isn'tmour breast just a sexobject????????afterall, lol!
Mine is so far south, am I glad I am not obcessed, lol!

[determination]

lol, Oh how i love these threads! I used to actually get really excited when going to the Dr or HV, purely so i could mention that i was BFing to see their reaction and more often than not it was - lol. How uneducated can these educated people be on BFing??!! We know more than them!

Personally, i was extremely proud that i was still BFing and I would still be if she hadn't decided to quit at 24.5months (mid August this year)

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

determination

[ghosty]

vvvqv .... frustrating isn't it?
I remember telling my GP that I wasn't a cow when he tried to persuade me to give DD soy formula as he thought she was allergic to dairy
She was 7 months then and at that point no dairy had passed her lips ....

Silly ar$e

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

how utterly, utterly ridiculous ghosty!

It just reinforces my belief that GP's, HV's etc just dont reinforce the benefits of b/feeding past a few months. Its a basic assumption that everyone will just stop b/feeding at 6 months, because thats the minimum length of time that the guidelines recommend.

[mamamaaargh]

Why are these GPs so poorly educated? I just do not get it. And even if they don't 'approve' of bf beyond a certain age, surely they should be professional enough to keep their opinions to themselves and not pass judgement.

[HRHQueenOfQuotes]

but why do we expect a General Practioner to know everything there is to know??? They're called "general" because they study general practioner skills and use them to treat a massive vareity of problems.

That's why if you're wanting advice on drugs - it's better to go to your chemist and ask - rather than your dr. - they're unlikely to have to studied in huge depth the effects of various drugs - just know the key ones to prescribe - the chemist is the one who can explain them better!

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

QOQ, I know what you mean, but, it was he that passed comment on what he thought the guidelines were, without prompting (other than my asking if the antibiotics were safe to take whilst b/feeding).

If he is going to quote guidelines - he really ought to quote the right ones.

Plus, he has no right to question my choices - which he did.

All that aside - the GP's in the practice carry out a large proportion of ante-natal care (due to the sorry state of the mw service where we are GP led care is pretty much the done thing whether thats what you want or not). On that basis alone - i think they should know these things.

That maybe over and above the usual remit of a GP, but, when they are required to provide care for pregnant women they should know the answers to teh questions they are likely to be asked, do you not think?

[3andnomore]

QOQ, you hvae got a point, but seeing that Mothers are making up a big quota of patients and are likely to go to their GP's say if they have Breast thrush and bf, it is kind of important that they shold have the basic knowledge!
Also, in a society like ours, where BF is not anymore that common and therefore we can't often turn for advice to family and friends, it is important that at least the HP's give good advice and know what they are talking about.

[princessmel]

When I took my dd to the docs for her ear infection somehow it was mentioned that I was still bf her ( Oh yes I'd mentioned she was feeding more in the night)and the GP said "Oh thats ok but you should start to think about stopping when she's 2" and made a face.
I was quite shocked actually. It made me feel that I was not doing the right thing by still feeding her, and I plan to feed her till she wants to stop. She's 14months.

[marymillington]

I think its fair enough not for the doctor not to assume that you would still be breastfeeding at 18 months - as you have said yourself its not currently the norm in the UK. (In the same way I think its fair enough for patients to have some responsibility in pointing out any other circumstances that may prevent certain medications being appropriate.)

I do agree, though, that he shouldn't be negative about your breastfeeding choices, especially if he's not up to speed with current thinking.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

thats exactly the thing princessmel, its the making you feel like you need to stop.

MM - i see what you mean, but, our GP's records are totally computerised. When I go in, my notes are up there on the screen. It has notes listing what allergies and other things that might make some medication unsuitable - I go every 2 months for a repeat prescription for something - I dont think it unreasonable to think someone might have the foresight to put what I deem to be quite an important alert/piece of information on my on-screen-all-singing-all-dancing notes.

[lemonaid]

My GP's computerised records had an alert that I was on the minipill come up throughout my TTC and pregnancy. I didn't have the heart to point out that, actually, I wasn't...