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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Anyone wish your GP knew more about breast feeding?

42 replies

zzzzoey · 24/02/2010 16:24

I've gotta give a presentation to GPs on breast feeding (crikey) - is there anything you've found your GP should know but doesn't?
(one GP told me to stop breast feeding on the affected side when I got mastitis!) Have yours been great or is there something they need to know?

OP posts:

Kitkatqueen · 25/02/2010 01:19

BaconWheatCrunchies · 25/02/2010 01:28

My GP took the leaflet my breast feeding counsellor had given me and prescribed my the oral gel for my baby, but it only really cleared up when my DH wrote me a private prescription for fluconazole with more BF counsellor advice. Is it now registered as safe for breast feeding women? Oh, and grape fruit seed extract on my nipples also helped kick it into touch.

He was the same GP who told me 6 mnths was plenty long enough to BF when I asked if I could feed on the ADs he was prescribing me. I found out later I could have still fed.

With my DS2 my HV gave me the number to phone to ask about meds and BF, but it was leave a message, so not much use for on the spot advice.

I think they should attend the basic courses that bosom buddy group do, in my area they are only 8 1hr sessions, surely that could be done in a day for any HCP who wants to improve their knowledge?

Saying that he was quite good for a bloke!

welliemum · 25/02/2010 09:05

I think it might be useful to say a few words about the normal course of breastfeeding in the early days.

eg that evening cluster feeding is not a sign of poor supply but is a normal thing babies do to establish breastfeeding. Ditto night feeding.

Could be a helpful way to discourage people from trying to fix problems that don't actually exist.

I agree with others though, that you'll be preaching to the choir to a certain extent - do you have time to establish what they already know given that some of them might already know quite a bit?

welliemum · 25/02/2010 09:08

Oh, I should just have posted "what vlc said" - would have saved a whole lot of electrons

Bicnod · 25/02/2010 12:47

Haven't read the thread so apologies if this has already been raised.

GPs NEED to know about the proper treatment for nipple/breast thrush. I had to go back six times, armed with a letter from a lactation consultant doing research at St George's Tooting on nipple and breast thrush, before the GP would prescribe me the necessary dosage of fluconazole. I suffered for 7 weeks with thrush before it started getting better - it was absolute agony and the GPs I saw didn't have a clue about how to treat it.

It's not just the fluconazole, it's also treating the baby. The only thing that works is daktarin gel - nystatin doesn't make a jot of difference.

Bicnod · 25/02/2010 12:49

Sorry, have now skim read thread and realise I am reiterating the point many others have made.

wastingaway · 25/02/2010 13:37

Not to weigh a screaming baby before and after making mother sit in a treatment room feeding it in tears. It don't mean a thing.

If there's any chance that there's tongue tie, refer to a specialist.
Particularly in areas with shite bf rates, because they just won't have the experience in spotting them.

ItNeverRainsBut · 25/02/2010 13:38

Could you suggest that surgeries get a copy of two books for reference: Hale Medications in Mothers Milk and the LLL Breastfeeding Answer Book.

Laugs · 25/02/2010 16:18

Have to reiterate the thrush thing. I had thrush for 8 weeks and it was hell. I saw 4 GPs, none of whom seemed to know anything. The last one prescribed fluconazole because I printed out and handed him the Breastfeeding Network guidelines.

The first GP I saw offered a whole load of bad advice. She said DS had thrush, but looking at my nipples decided I hadn't (despite the severe pain being the reason for my trip in the first place). She said thrush does not transfer from baby to mother. She said she had seen lots of babies with thrush and they'd never passed it on to the mother. Apparently, if I wanted to be treated, even just with the cream, I had to give up breastfeeding. I said I didn't want to stop and she said I could stop until it cleared up and then start again (he was 2.5 weeks at the time, she offered no advice about expressing, just said I could stop). She did offer me antibiotics.

Luckily, this is my second baby and I knew that breastfeeding should never hurt like that, and that you can't stop breastfeeding for 2 weeks and expect to go back again as normal. It makes me so cross that if it was my first-time that crap GP would have probably ruined any chance of me breastfeeding successfully.

confuddledDOTcom · 25/02/2010 16:41

Maybe reitterate that the advice for thrush is exactly the same as for the other type! Would you expect it not to be passed when a couple had sex? Would you say he didn't need to be treated too? Would you offer her antibiotics???

mathanxiety · 25/02/2010 16:42

Mollybob, I am really shocked that you never received any teaching or training on breastfeeding during your studies.

Kitkatqueen · 25/02/2010 22:43

Wastingaway, thats awful.

wastingaway · 26/02/2010 09:47

Not a fun time. We got through it though, and we're still going at 21 months!
If I'd not had MN though...

Kitkatqueen · 26/02/2010 13:22

Actually zzzoey! Can you give he gp's this web address? Then concerned mums can just come on here and get the right info and some decent support. It would save you loads of time

mrsjuan · 26/02/2010 13:39

My female GP told me (word for word) when I visited her worried about DD's slow weight gain and commented that I was pleased that she had fed a lot the previous night (6 week growth spurt):

"Babies are very clever, they know how to get their own way. She can't have actually been feeding for all that time. You wouldn't have had enough milk for one thing. She's using you as a dummy"

Thank goodness for mumsnet else we wouldn't have got as far as we did (still not far enough for my liking but I've I'd listened to that stupid cow we would have failed at 6 weeks)

Original poster

zzzzoey · 03/03/2010 11:24

Sorry not to get back to you all earlier. Was busy finalising and giving that presentation!
Am pleased to say all the GPs there had a very positive attitude to breast feeding
On the other hand, not one of them had had any decent professional training on breast feeding ,just an hour or so at medical school. No one knew anything at all about thrush in the ducts.
But they do now!
and as much else as I could squeeze in.
I think I 'll try to find some more GPs and do this again

OP posts:

BessieBoots · 03/03/2010 11:30

I took my DS2 to see the GP when he was 4.5 months with a chest infection. When asked how I should give it to him, he said "just put a bit in his food."
"But he is exclusively breastfed," said I.
"Really?" replied the shocked GP. "You don't give him any food at all? Not even a little pudding?"

He is usually great. Which is why I felt is was okay to laugh out loud at this point.

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