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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Extended breastfeeding and your GP

132 replies

frannyf · 17/09/2005 09:48

Just wondered if anyone else has had bizarre or interesting comments from their doctors or other health professionals. Ds is 2.5 and we both went to the doctor yesterday. I asked the gp if what he was prescribing was ok to take while breastfeeding, and he instead checked if it was safe to take while pregnant. He realised his mistake, said "Oops, sorry, you said breastfeeding," then did a double take, looked at ds, looked at my notes to see if I had another baby (nope), and just looked astonished! I laughed and said "Yes, we're still breastfeeding, I know it's a bit unusual," and he asked if ds was having solid food as well!! DS is a very tall, chunky, healthy toddler sitting in front of him by the way. I thought it was funny, but was also stunned that a doctor would be so ignorant about breastfed toddlers.

The other gp we see sometimes is the only medical person who has ever been supportive of my extended bfing. She is Muslim and says the Koran states you should bf for 2 years, but not many mothers manage it. She says I must have the constitution of an ox to keep it up (another load of nonsense, but at least complimentary nonsense!)

The health visitor at our clinic is the worst. Whenever we walk in, instead of saying hello, she calls out (across a crowded room of mothers with babies) "Still breastfeeding, are you?" Cue looks of horror.

OP posts:
suzywong · 17/09/2005 13:30

why thankyou

frannyf · 17/09/2005 13:34

I think I shall bow out now as I'm feeling too fragile today for any aggro! I know it's just your opinion, stitch, but I am expecting my son to want to feed for a long time yet, possibly till 4 and beyond, and it is a bit upsetting to hear comments like yuk. I don't think it is always good to give our opinions when not asked for (as an example, the woman next door just walked past looking very unattractive but I didn't open the window and shout "Yuk!" although I did think it )

Anyway, thanks all for your comments.

OP posts:
spidermama · 17/09/2005 13:37

Scarey.
Health professionals can be frighteningly removed from natural processes.
Good for you frannyf for letting it wash over you.
Sadly, many other women would let it get to them and knock their confidence.

spidermama · 17/09/2005 13:42

And stitch ... go away.

rodeo1 · 17/09/2005 14:38

I am shocked to read of all these 'health profesionals' coming out with these insensitive comments. I bfed both dd and ds until they were 1 which I don't really consider to be extended feeding, but was v. proud of this achievement and women who choose to feed for longer should be supported.

I'm not sure why this always turns into a 'heated' debate either, and why people have such strong adverse opinions on it. It really has nothing to do with anyone apart from the family involved, such the same as women who choose to bottle feed. We all in this day and age know the facts and make our decisions accordingly.

I'm having baba no 3 in Oct and hope to bf again, but I do tend have a v.painful start to it so if my baby turns out to be a bottle-fed one so be it. It really has nothing to do with anybody else and if I make someone feel 'saddened' that I'm giving my baby a bottle or 'yuk' if I feed my 2.5 yr old they can go and boil their head.

So there

Caligula · 17/09/2005 14:44

I'm not at all surprised to find GP's and HV's making ignorant comments about bf.

In fact, I'm always pleasantly amazed when they show a modicum of knowledge about it, frankly.

I keep thinking that one day I'll print out a few Mumsnet threads about bf and send them off to someone. Can't think who though - local health authority, BMA, GP surgeries, heads of midwifery? Hmmm...

Pruni · 17/09/2005 14:44

Message withdrawn

spidermama · 17/09/2005 14:46

Well said pruni.

stitch · 17/09/2005 16:25

spidey, i shall begone.

spod · 17/09/2005 17:25

Message deleted

expatinscotland · 17/09/2005 17:28

How bizarre. My dad's mum was a Mayan Indian who breastfed all her children till they were 2 and no one thought anything of it. Incidentally, although it's apparently not a reliable form of birth control - all her children were 2.9 years apart.

colditz · 17/09/2005 17:40

stich, obviously bottlefeeders wouldn't have the intelligence to be interested in anything that doesn't involve bottle feeding, no?

In a word, I am surprised that someone of your intelligence doesn't have the emotional intelligence to realise how offensive, narrow-minded, hurtful and ignorant your comments were.

But then, I bottlefed my son, so probably don't deserve an opinion in the matter. You speak about it as if it is child abuse.

I am glad that not many new mothers currently bottlefeeding have come across your message, as when my son was tiny a message like that would have made me sob. I do hope you haven't really hurt anyone's feelings.

mummyhill · 17/09/2005 17:57

Stitch, I didn't bottle feed by choice but felt forced into it as I had no support from my health professionals to establish breast feeding. I found it impossible due to a congenital problem. If i had come accross your comments when i first had dd i would of found them extremly hurtful. I am expecting my second and am going to be more forceful/vocal in my requests for help this time round but if child no 2 ends up being bottle fed then so be it.

I have the utmost respect for those who can and do breastfeed and think that it is marvelous when people decide to do it for an extended period. I think that extended feeders should be praised. We have a couple at the parent and toddler group I run and if i thought anyone was making them feel uncomfy about feeding their child I would not be amused. ONe of the mums had gotten into the habit of disapearing into the toilets because someone made her feel ashamed. When I found out I told her not to worry and to feed whereever she want's if any one in the group has a problem with it she should refer them to me and i will soon put them straight on our policy for supporting all of our members in their feeding/parenting choices.

emkana · 17/09/2005 19:02

I will praise the day on which it will be possible to talk about extended b/feeding on MN without someone coming in calling it yuk...

Anyway, I have seen three different GP's over the last three months, and told all of them that I'm still b/feeding dd2 who is just two, and none of them batted an eyelid. I was very impressed, even though that should be normal and not exceptional.

Miaou · 17/09/2005 19:20

I'm another one with supportive gp and hv over b/f. Ds is only 7 weeks old, but when asked how long I intended to feed for, were very positive when I said "at least a year". The gp is also very into prescribing homeopathic remedies where appropriate that do not interfere with breastfeeding. I really appreciate the support I have, which is sad in a way, I shouldn't need to feel I am lucky, it should be normal for everyone.

Whizzz · 17/09/2005 19:31

Sorry, I read the title as

"Extended breastfeeding your GP"

hunkermunker · 17/09/2005 19:33

Snort, Whizzz! Now that would be beyond the pale

stitch · 17/09/2005 19:33

colditz, i'm sorry that my opinions have come accross the way they have. yes, i think i definitly do lack quite a bit of emotional intelligence, and its very flattering that you think i am otherwise intelligent!

breastfeeding an 18 month old is not imo extended breastfeeding. i chose to stop at 8 months, but that was just me. in fact anything up to 2 years isnt extended breasfeeding. imo, and i would blast anyone in rl for saying so.

im sorry that everyone disagrees with my opinion about breastfeeding a four year old. but life wouldnt be life if we all agreed on everything.

stitch · 17/09/2005 19:34

im almost fairly certain that i never ever referred to it as child abuse either!

look, spidey told me to go away. im back now, and she'll tell me off. so i must go.

hunkermunker · 17/09/2005 19:35

Stitch, I don't mean this in any way offensively, so please don't take it so...but doesn't your religion prohibit feeding beyond two? Or am I thinking of someone else?

hunkermunker · 17/09/2005 19:35

Not prohibit - frown upon?

dropinthe · 17/09/2005 19:36

Lucky old Doctor!

stitch · 17/09/2005 19:39

yes it does hunker. frown upon is the term i think. and its very likely that this is what has affected my thinking in many ways.

hunkermunker · 17/09/2005 19:43

Yes, prohibit was too strong.

It's funny, I can't really remember bfeeding, even though I did it for nearly 17 months. DS self-weaned, I think probably because I'm pg again - since I don't plan on getting pg again for some years, if at all, it will be interesting to see how long this next baby feeds for. I'm happy to let the next one self-wean whenever - I found it a really easy process with DS (although I do know that it's not always the same for everyone!).

stitch · 17/09/2005 19:45

congratulations..... that also explains the heftybosoms!

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