To think this information was a load of bollocks...

[thenightwalker]

Today I went to the doctors with pain after a car accident to see if I could maybe get some physio or some more effective pain relief other than paracetamol because I'm still breastfeeding and have been told anything other than paracetamol was a no no.

This is what my 'doctor' had to say... Just stop breastfeeding, you should have stopped well before now ( my daughter is 13 months). She continued that my milk wouldn't be sufficient and I wouldn't produce enough milk now. I just sat stairing in disbelief that this 'health professional' was so wrong. Or so I thought she was.. Is there any truth in this. She basically made me feel reduculous that I was breastfeeding beyond the age of one. She told me that women should stop feeding at 8 months.. Random age I thought. Age has made these comment before when my partner took her on with constipation at 9 months.

Oh and then she told me just to take ibuprofen because it won't 'really hurt her' !!

Do I make a complaint???

She has made these comments*

Complain complain complain. 8 months??? What does she expect them to eat besides a bit of solids then? WHO says at least the first two years. Definatly complain, it's dangerous advice

O, and I had cocodamol (or something similar) when breastfeeding. Codiene? something like that, definatly not just paracetamol.

Your baby, your body, your choice...the doctor gave you an opinion, you can disregard it.

Your baby, your body, your choice...the doctor gave you an opinion, you can disregard it.

Sorry managed to post twice there

You should be fine with ibuprofen as they can be given the childrens doses of it by that age anyway

As for the doctor, words fail...

You can complain - but you'd be best doing it to the practice or, at most, to the PCT. You will (I predict) get an apology response for offending you at most, and be told the doctor is undertaking some training/awareness course.

I knackered my shoulder when ds was about 9m and I took co-codamol.

She just seems unaware of the health benefits of breastfeeding and I worry that she might give out this crappy information to someone a little more influential and potentially put someone off breastfeeding where it should be being encoraged

Is she on the payroll of a formula company?

Or just too ignorant to know that solids + cow's milk aren't enough until at least 12 months?

YADNBU.

Ibuprofen fine.

Thanx ladies I do feel like I should do something.. I never complain but she's really hit a nerve and I know alot of women will probably believe the crap she's spouting. I even questioned myself until my DH have me a slap in the face (not literally)

The GP gave an opinion and tried to state as medical fact. Fortunately the OP has had advice from more reliable sources.

To be fair, a lot of GPs are not that clued up about bfing, but in that case she should have kept her trap shut. Unfortunately she probably has been influenced by marketing literature from formula companies, as that is what they do!

Perhaps a letter to the practice manager suggesting the GP updates her knowledge from WHO guidelines on breastfeeding might be in order?

this says ibuprofen is safe when breastfeeding

I had a similar situation a while ago at a chiropractors.

They had a load of bumf about bf/weaning/children's health etc but some of the 'facts' about bf were wrong, so I printed out some stuff from WHO and took it into them.

I am an interfering old bag though.

A lot of mums decide to give up bf at bout 8mths to a year despite any advice to the contary but good on you for perservering and having the patience to continue doing what you beleive best.

As for the dr you went in with a complaint about pain and advice bout pain management she IMO had no right to give an answer relating to your personal choices. I would be cross too.

Hope the pain is managed with ibuprofen and your feeling better sonn.

was given co-codamol after c section. i bf after obviously with hospital's knowledge, so assume that is safe?

Suggest you post about your experience on www.nhs.uk and Iwantgreatcare and then email the PCT to say that you've done so. Find the name of the Medical Director (or similar) and tell them to get it sorted out!

Is it possible your doctor thinks that you are either:
a) exclusively breastfeeding, or;
b)is thinking of the guidelines on exclusive breastfeeding, instead of the guidelines on mixing breastfeeding and solids?

Everything she said was accurate, for exclusive breastfeeding, I think (by 8 months, you should have some solids in your dc's diet, and breastmilk, on its own isn't enough for a 13 month old.

Was she maybe just trying to say she could help you with your pain better if you weren't limited to breastfeeding friendly drugs. And trying to let you know that it's okay to stop now if you need to look after yourself for a bit after the accident.

I am long past breastfeeding stage but think it's personal choice and GP should have kept her gob shut. With regard to the pain please consider an osteopath - not just for backs!!

I breastfed both my children until they wre 14 months. My first dd would also take water and juice and drank cows milk when she came off the breast, but my 2nd would drink nothing else - it was the only fluid she would have at all ever.

She is perfectly healthy. Except when I weaned her she wouldn't drink either cows milk or follow on milk so I have to make sure she gets calcium in other ways.

I only ever got positive amazement and encouragement from the HCPs I encountered. I would have been shocked and disgusted had I been "told" to stop.