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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be shocked at the lack of bfing knowledge in the nhs?

29 replies

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 14:16

I bfed ds for a year. I had some difficulty at the start but a great mw sorted me out. Overall a very positive experience. So when i had dd four months ago i assumed bfing would be the least of my worries. Unfortunately largely thanks to incredibly ignorant treatment by nhs staff it's been a nightmare.

I found a lump on my breast when dd was about 2 weeks old. Went to the gp and she said it was "probably something to do with bfing" and to come back in 6 weeks if it was still there. I went again at 8 weeks to a different gp who was surprised at what i'd been told - the policy is that a breast lump must be seen by a specialist within 2 weeks. The other gp had fobbed me off and ignored policy because i was bfing. Why, i don't know. I presume ignorance.

Was sent to iopsy anyway. I reminded her that i was bfing and asked if a biopsy would affect that. No no i was told it'll be fine. But, the hole created by the biopsy wouldn't heal and started to leak milk

OP posts:

BoysAreLikeDogs · 07/07/2013 14:23

oh love I am so sorry, what a cock up

you need a RL advocate don't you, any LLL or similar in your area? just for support, maybe to attend appts with you

Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 14:29

Sorry posted too soon.
I rang the breast clinic who told me to go to the gp. Gp didn't know what was going on but assumed infection and gave me what turned out to be the wrong antibiotics as she didn't realise the right ones were safe for bfing. Hole didn't heal so went back to yet another gp who hadn't a clue but at least gave me the correct abs. He told me to ring the breast clinic again which i did five times before anyone actually spoke to me.

The nurse said leaking milk was an expected complication in bfing women and that basically i would have an open leaking wound until i stopped bfing. This was news to me. Her attitude was that i could always bottle feed. Not so, dd won't take a bottle. I had to kick up a stink before she made an appointment for me with a specialist.

Specialist was mortified. I vented at him and he apologised but reckoned i would be stuck with a damaged breast indefinitely. Good news is it's now healed.

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Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 14:38

Sorry this is epic but there's more. In the midst of all the breast malarkey i realised i had pnd and went to the gp. I was told to put dd on a bottle get more sleep and go for walks. Stellar advice for a bottle-refusing baby who was feeding every 20 mins. Ended up going back to a different gp the next day in a terrible state. This gp let slip that the other gp fobbed me off and didn't give me meds because i was bfing. She referred me to the hospital and i had to trek out there, tired depressed and with two children in tow because the gps won't prescribe to a bfing woman.

OP posts:

NotYoMomma · 07/07/2013 14:38

have we had this thread before?

it is outrageous mind

Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 14:44

Aibu to think if the nhs is to promote bfing then nhs staff should at least have basic knowledge on how to deal with problems related to it? I was made to feel by just about every single hcp like bfing was a nice thing you might do for a little while, a lifestyle choice. Not one of them took it seriously.

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Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 14:46

Notyo, i wrote about the breast thing before but i'm talking more in general about bfing and the nhs.

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Forgetfulmog · 07/07/2013 14:58

YANBU this is shocking, but sadly there are some huge knowledge gaps about bf in the nhs. Where I live, they've started a training programme for all HCPs so everyone is on the same page. I believe the plan is for it to eventually be rolled out uk wide, but since so many trusts have now been privatised I'm unsure that anything will be done

Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 14:58

There were other smaller signs of ignorance - both the specialist and the nurse suggested i put a loose piece of gauze in my bra to soak up the leak. It didn't seem to occur to them that i would be opening my bra multiple times a day so gauze wouldn't last an hour. When i said that to the nurse she said to use an adhesive dressing when i'm feeding and gauze when i'm not. Huh?

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Shylepite · 07/07/2013 15:18

That sounds horrible, you poor thing!

Yanbu at all, gps seem to prefer to recommend stopping bf so that they can prescribe medication that isn't safe for bf mums rather than finding out what they can safely take whilst bfing despite the current recommendations to continue to age 2.

Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 15:22

The thing that gets me was that the people who seemed most clueless were the ones at the breast institute. If anyone should know about bfing it's them surely?

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UserError · 07/07/2013 16:49

Nope. I had breast cancer and wanted to know if having radiotherapy would mean I wouldn't be able to breastfed in future. No-one had a clue. One very interested medical student ended up researching it for me and the consensus was... We don't know.

Anyway, I do think you've had a run of bad luck with the medical professionals you've seen. I saw your previous thread too and please don't take this the wrong way, but I do think you're fixating on this a bit too much, maybe because of your PND.

Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 17:11

I'm not fixated on it user and using my pnd to imply i'm overreacting is pretty shit imo. In spite of being ill i am capable of forming valid opinions.

OP posts:

extra80 · 07/07/2013 17:13

Glad its now sorted but what a horrible experience. I know what you say about nhs staff. It, s really patch. I was told to come off medication by gp as breastfeeding and found it really hard to cope. Gp also seemed to assume I would stop feeding at 6 months. She was wrong as all other gps sai d it was fine
Although far worse was the leavel of support following delivery by csection. Discharged from hospital on day 3. Midwife came on day 4 and told her feeding a nightmare. Didn't seem too bothered as my regular midwife was coming next day. She arrived on day 5 and rushed us straight back to hospital.
Whilst there a nurse on the neonatal unit was just horrid.
She treated me li, e a great inconvenience as it meant she had to complete paperwork.
Also ignored my requests for a breast pump.
Told me they say breast feeding is best but than....
Said all these poor tiny babirs on here. They didn't ask to be born early and than.
I am a mum of 3 and she had me in tears. I so hope she hasn't done same to a 1st time mum.
Really should have complained about her.

UserError · 07/07/2013 17:14

I didn't mean to upset you, honestly. I've seen it before in myself, that's all. Stepping back from the thread now.

neunundneunzigluftballons · 07/07/2013 17:21

Yanbu most bf knowledge rests with women who have bf for prolonged periods so it is shit when you have a medical issue and rely on hcps.

Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 17:25

User i wasn't trying to make out that i've suffered some horriible injustice - my issues are pretty much sorted now and i'm doing ok. My point was that the nhs (rightly) promotes bfing quite strongly yet hcps seem really clueless about it. I've found that in spite of all the chanting of "breast is best" as soon as there's a problem the message is "just bottle feed, it's easier." it also seems mad to me that if you want support or even some basic accurate information you have to go charities like LLL. The message seems to be "we want you to bf but we won't help you to do it"

OP posts:

Svrider · 07/07/2013 17:34

Op yadnbu
On very different end of the spectrum from you I had real problems with a HV when bfeeding
It was my 3rd DC and had exclusively breast fed 2other babies
Me and DC3 were happy and established
HV kept complaining that she hadn't got a number for the amount of mls of milk dc3 was taking at each feed
She was really aggressive and said I should know
She then said well I suggest you put him on the bottle by my next visit, so I can complete my form PROPERLY

I shit you not

Laurier88 · 07/07/2013 17:36

That is terrible OP, but please don't generalise the whole NHS - in my area even admin staff have breastfeeding training in case they ever speak to a member of the public who has a query about it.

lightrain · 07/07/2013 17:37

I have been suffering with a condition that has left me in excruciating pain for the last 9 weeks. I have a 9 wk old DC. I need surgery (it's happening tomorrow!) but have seen GPs, consultants, nurses and a variety of other specialists over the past weeks. What I have learned from this is that knowledge of medication and breast feeding in the general medical community is pretty appalling. I have had to do my own research to get any sort of information (the breastfeeding network pharmacist service has been a total lifeline, I can't express enough how wonderful they are). Perhaps it is not the hcp's faults, as the patient information leaflets for almost every drug (understandably) says that it is not to be used by breastfeeding women, or dr is to be consulted. BUT by taking 2 minutes to look up peer reviewed papers that are available, information can be found that coud have been discussed with me, and a decision agreed. Everything they have wanted to prescribe has been safe for breastfeeding, if only they had looked.

Now I know that I need to look up drugs myself to see if they are okay (or ask the breastfeeding network pharmacist for advice), so that I am armed with the info when speaking to the GP. I was told I needed to stop bfing 5 times over the course of the last 9 weeks, when I didn't at all!

Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 17:40

That's really mad svrider although not surprising. From the way a few hcps spoke to me about bfing it was clear they have absolutely no idea how it works. How can they promote something they have absolutely no knowledge about?

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Original poster

CailinDana · 07/07/2013 17:43

That's encouraging laurier. I'm glad some areas have it right. Good luck with your op lightrain - good on you for persevering with bfing in spite of all the negativity.

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DizzyPurple · 07/07/2013 17:59

I know the feeling. When dd was 8 months old I needed antibiotics for something and the GP I spoke to was quite shocked when I told her some antibiotics are not suitable if you're breastfeeding. She actually told me to just stop feeding for a week or so while i took them. Obviously I didn't take that advice and she went away and came back with a different prescription. Hopefully she learnt something that day!

DizzyPurple · 07/07/2013 18:01

And the breastfeeding care in our local health area has just been taken over by a different team who have said that all local health visitors are to go on a 2 day training course in breastfeeding. Things are looking up!

OodPi · 07/07/2013 18:19

Sounds good dizzy

My gripe is when they ask you to keep charts of baby feeding. As I couldn't give them a ML answer they asked for a time. All 4 of my children have taken different lengths of time to feed. Dd3 was three times slower than ds but both put on weight the same. I argued this and eventually agreed to my judgement of a 'short snack/drink' and a 'long' feed. The only time this really mattered was when ds was ill and we wanted to make sure he was feeding consistently.

My GP is very good and checks everything. Hasn't suggested me stopping feeding even after all the not taking meds I needed/problems with ds feeding/ADs increasing my milk supply . HV & MW all ok but I'm confident and knowledgable to argue the correct info back at them.

The MW brought some students to meet me and patronised them about tandem feeding re feeding dd3(2) and ds (now 17 weeks£

SpooMoo · 07/07/2013 18:28

Yanbu. I am lucky to have had great NHS support to start/continue BFing but when I was diagnosed with depression by my GP he just kept asking at every check up whether I'm still BFing with a knowing look, asked if I express as well (I don't), what happens with night wake ups/lack of sleep. I think all NHS staff need to be briefed on how to talk to BFing mothers as if they support their choice, given that's what the NHS guidance says is preferable for the baby.

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