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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Doctor said my son has a habit

20 replies

Snowdropfairy · 16/03/2011 11:59

I went to the Doctors cos i have a chest infection and as he was type presription for antibiotics i told him i was still breatfeeding.

He asked how old my son was and i replied "He is 2 years old".

Doctor: "Have you tried stopping breastfeeding yet?"

Me: "Yes but my son does not want to stop "

Doctor: "No because it is a habit now. He doesn't need it anymore"

Me:"OK then" as i walk out the door.

I just wanted to share this and also say that the doctor was male. Has anyone else had a negative reaction to breastfeeding from professionals?

OP posts:

everythingchangeseverything · 16/03/2011 12:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EauRouge · 16/03/2011 13:34

My HV did a cat bum face when I told her I was tandem feeding. I was going to keep my mouth shut but I thought I'd give her the chance to prove me wrong and be all encouraging She asked how many times DD1 was BF in a day- I don't count but it's probably around 5 or 6, so sensing her disapproval I said 3 or 4 and she went even more cat bum face and said that was a lot. I resisted the urge to tell her to bog off.

I didn't even tell the GP that I'm tandeming, I would have just been told to stop. It's sad, but I have very little faith in HCPs now.

SeriousWispaHabit · 16/03/2011 14:40

I tandem fed. DD1 self weaned about 2 months ago at 2.6.

I'm also a GP.

No real point to make, just wanted to let you know that not all GPs are the same and some of us are very positive and well informed about breastfeeding

moondog · 16/03/2011 14:42

Once you start accepting that GPs (and indeed any profession) is not the fount of all knowledge, then it is easier to accept such comments.

Honestly, who cares what some random person thinks???

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 16/03/2011 14:44

My GP was very supportive of me BFing my 2-year old.

Some people have a problem with extended BFing, some don't, it doesn't matter what they do for a living.

browneyesblue · 17/03/2011 00:56

Oh yes!

At my DS's 6 week check I told my GP (male, but not old-school male IYSWIM) that I was having real pain while breastfeeding, and that the midwife, HV, and BF counsellor had been unable to help (turned out to be tongue tie).

I told him that I really wanted to continue breastfeeding, but that I needed help. He told me that both DS and I had had all the benefits of breastfeeding by 6 weeks, and that I could just go ahead and give him formula

DS is now 11 months, still bf, and I hope he'll continue for a while yet. The GP I see now is very supportive :)

JiltedJohnsJulie · 17/03/2011 10:22

My favourite ever comment from a GP when I mentioned I was bfing "so how old is he?* "ok, so how long have you bf for?". Had to explain to the GP that generally, you start bfing on day one

Cosmosis · 17/03/2011 10:24

lol JJJ!!!

Original poster

Snowdropfairy · 17/03/2011 13:10

OP posts:

nomoremagnolia · 17/03/2011 13:17

But not always JJJ - my DS started off on formula but was on only EBM by 5 weeks and BFing from 8 weeks. When did we 'start' BFing? I'm not sure how I'd answer in my situation

crapbarry · 17/03/2011 13:19

I went to the GP yesterday to get antibiotics for mastitis, and the GP asked if I was breastfeeding. 'Yes'
'and what is the age of the baby?'
(gesturing to DS who was trying to climb onto the chair) 'he's nearly 18 months'
GP then visibly recoiled, and went 'he's old for, um, right, so describe your symptoms' as I gave him The Look which suggested not making any further comments :o

He did say he doesn't see many older children breastfeeding, and I said 'well, DS and I are both happy with the situation, so no plans to stop yet', and he replied 'well, um, as I say, happy mum, happy baby '

He couldn't get us out of there quick enough :o

JiltedJohnsJulie · 17/03/2011 14:06

nomore realise that its not the case for everyone. Its hard to describe on here how he asked the question, he a young embarrassed medical student. The GP with him was roaring with laughter.

blinder · 17/03/2011 14:15

I had to have antibiotics recently and mentioned to the GP that I was bfing my daughter. He looked at her wandering around and chatting and asked with a raised eyebrow, 'how old is she?'

'Nearly 8 months,' I said.

'Well done!' he said. 'She looks very healthy on it!'

I love my GP. (the HV is an arse however who recommended CIO for my exclusively bf 5month old !)

Still, I love my GP.

blinder · 17/03/2011 14:15

18 months

JiltedJohnsJulie · 17/03/2011 14:32

Blinder, glad you've got a good GP. Ours is incredibly supportive of bfing too.

And yes your HV sounds like a complete arse, hope you asked her for the evidence on CIO for 5 months

nomoremagnolia · 17/03/2011 20:09

great GP there blinder :)
JJJ - TBH I would have thought the same as you before the problems we had with BFing. Now I would have to explain the background before being able to answer.

FrozenNorthPole · 17/03/2011 21:51

I've mentioned this before on here, but a lovely male GP at my practice was discussing bf safe medication with me. At the time, DD1 was 13 months. He dropped into conversation that he remembered breastfeeding from his mum (at the age of 3 and a half) and it was his favourite early memory. I always think of him and laugh when people say that a child that remembers breastfeeding with be mentally scarred / similar inane twaddle. All it seems to have done to him is turned him into an ardent proponent of breastfeeding. The horror!

Original poster

Snowdropfairy · 18/03/2011 10:10

Frozennorthpole - that is the nicest post i have ever read and very reassuring to me right now.

You have just encouraged me to contiune breastfeeding

Thank you

OP posts:

runningrach · 18/03/2011 19:21

I went to see a GP about terrible pain with breastfeeding, a lactation consultant had suggested thrush but I needed a prescription to get Daktarin to treat it.

The GP disagreed with her diagnosis since he could see no evidence of thrush on my breast and was convinced it was 'early signs of mastitis' (which I told him I had already had so I knew what it was like and this pain had been going on for 4 weeks), plus if he gave me a thrush cream it would be bitter and the baby would not want to feed.

Wearily I asked for the oral Daktarin anyway, and he reluctantly gave it to me while muttering that he had never heard of thrush causing mastitis and he had 2 daughters who both breastfed and neither of them had thrush...

I think he would have been an idiot in any profession he just happened to be a GP.

BosomForAPillow · 19/03/2011 21:08

I went to see my practice nurse to get a flu jab when pregnant and wanted to just check it was fine to have while I am still breastfeeding my dd.

The nurse asked
"Did you plan these babies?"

Also, "You'll want to wean her before the new baby comes." (True as it happens but I might have not wanted to.)

Best was "She'll probably stop soon as she develops other interests...and gets some teeth!"

She has pretty much all her teeth as she is 2.5 and does have a few "other interests".

I just smiled and nodded but really wished afterwards I'd said something.

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