told to stop breastfeeding by my gp at 10.5mths

[tots2ten]

Dd4 is 10.5mths old. I went to see the gp this morning as i have a sinus infection. She asked if I had tried homeopathic medicine for sinus infection, I said no, she asked would I try. I said once i stop breastfeeding then I would look into it should I need too.

She then asked how old the baby was, I said 10.5mths, and she looked and told me 'You need to stop that now, dear there is no need to continue bfing once you have begun weaning as that is what formula is for' I told her that the WHO guidelines state that bfing upto 2yrs. then she told me 'I think you have misunderstood what you have read, you only need to breastfeed for 6mths, then stop once you start weaning and switch to formula'

I told her to look at the WHO guidelines, only for her to tell me 'I have a medical degree and I am telling you, that there is no need to breastfeed, its all for you and not for your baby, she needs to become more indepdant and have a bottle'

I would send her a copy of the WHO guidelines, highlighted, as you suggest. It would make the point quite neatly I think.

(And I say this as a GP. I cringe reading these threads! Honestly, we are not all patronising cretins. Just a few old fuckers knocking around giving out crap advice and giving the rest of us a bad name. Vote with your feet - the money follows the patient so its the easiest way to make them raise their game....)

tempertemper she wasnt a old fucker, shes late 30's (at a guess) not that age should matter.

I will let you all know what happens when the practice manager phones.

There are an awful lot of doctors labouring under the misapprehension that two first degrees and an MRCP trumps anything else. A vague acquaintance (in his late sixties) claims that he was told huffily by a young GP that she was right because "I am a doctor and I learnt this at medical school". Reluctant to play job title top trumps, but finding he had no option, he was reduced to responding "I am a professor of physiology and I teach this at medical school".

In a film, of course, the GP would go, "ah, professor X, so nice to see you again". But she didn't, and (as the story goes) rather grudgingly admitted that she might have mis-remembered.

Do let us know how you get on. :)

Fair enough, the fuckery extends to some of the young too.

You've fedback - totally the right thing to do. Hopefully she will update her knowledge and reconsider her attitude, and the next person will benefit from it.

I'm glad people complain after this sort of attitude: it does the rest of us down.

Honestly, find someone else to see instead. I'm sure we all do crap things occasionally but my experience (as a patient and a colleague) is that there are still lots of decent dr's out there.

OP - your GP was being rude, nevermind anything else. Not acceptable.

My DH is a GP and a smart man, but before I had DS 7 months ago his bfing knowledge could have been written on a post-it note.

From what I've heard from him bfing wasn't quite the focus of his 7 years at uni. Tbh, he has learnt soooo much from me reading MN and telling him interesting things that I find online.

In fact, he says he's had some patients in and he's told them to read MN

tots, oh my good grief. Well done for standing your ground. Incidentially I was told that BF was 'all for my benefit once the baby reached 9 months' by a consultant breast specialist I saw at my local hospital. Precious.

Has the practice manager called back?

no, not heard anything back from the practice manager. My hv phoned to say that he had printed out the WHO guidelines and was going to hand them out to the gp's at the surgery.

If he hasnt phoned me back by lunch time I will be phoning again and making a appointment to see him next week.

narmada that is unbelievable, but the funniest thing is that consultant was inadvertently speaking some truth as overall risk of breast cancer reduces by 4.3% with every year of BF

any news from the practice manager tots?

No, he didnt phone back, and his secretary was unable to take a phone call to make a appointment. So I will call in Monday morning after the school run.

Looks like the GP has got the message though, so you have already made a difference to the other local women. Good on you.

pmsl at witchwithallthetrimmings' homeopathic medical degree

Good one tots2ten. Just read your thread - come back and let us know how the HV got on, won't you?

did you get hold of the practice manager?

The practice manager finally called me back today. He has spoken to the HV and has got the WHO guidelines printed out and gave copies to all the gps at the surgery. He is going to have a chat with the midwife attached to the surgery to see about courses/more information for the doctors.

Practice Manager has said that he has spoken to the gp in question and has said that she is sorry for any upset she has caused. But denys telling me that I need to stop bfing, and that she never mentioned formula feeding.

As a aside they had a complaint about me breastfeeding the in waiting room (i was taking to one of the receptionist this morning at the school) and that there should be a room for people like me The practice manager has said that they have now put up new posters stating that breastfeeding is welcome here.

well it seems like you've brought about some positive changes, though :( that they were necessary. well done :)