Two days ago, after showing the results of a survey of 155 mothers who were breastfeeding for a long time about the support and criticism received by their environment, we began the breakdown of criticism, lack of support or bad information that these mothers had received from the pediatricians.
Today we continue with this to continue knowing what pediatricians can say about prolonged breastfeeding.
"Your child has gastroenteritis, do not give it for a few days because it aggravates diarrhea"
When a child has gastroenteritis, diarrhea (and perhaps vomiting) causes a risk of dehydration. The best treatment for babies who drink breast milk and have gastroenteritis is breast milk, since it serves to hydrate and receive all the components that are losing.
Luckily, the mother who received this advice knew that she should not follow him.
"Give bottle, that if they have sent you it will be for something"
A mother, with her 20-day-old baby, trying to get her baby to breastfeed without support received this comment from a pediatrician. If they have sent you it is for something. Something like a "you don't know, you're incapable, you're not going to get it." I could help you if I knew, but as I don't know, give it a bottle and so it sure eats and feeds. ”
It is so unfortunate the treatment that many mothers receive, both at the time of giving birth, and after doing so, that I do not understand how they complain no more.
"You'll get tired"
After seeing that the mother, with her seven-month-old baby, was still determined to ignore the recommendations of starting to give bottles, the pediatrician thought it convenient to give her up as impossible and lost with a "you'll get tired", because of course she did its good (if there are such ungrateful mothers).
When you run out of milk you come and I prescribe a
This is not a criticism, nor a lack of support, but a simple lack of information. Many doctors (pediatricians and non-pediatricians) and many people still believe that milk, one day, disappears.
They may think that the woman's breast has a production limit, perhaps at 500 liters produced the breast stops emanating milk, perhaps it is rather at a time between the sixth and eighth month, or perhaps it occurs in the third month, when our mothers had their milk removed.
The point is that the breast does not stop producing milk while there is demand, that is, while the baby sucks. There are already known cases of children up to 9 or 10 years (perhaps there are more) who still drink breast milk from time to time as they can corroborate this statement.
Therefore, such an affirmative phrase (“when you run out of milk”) does not make much sense, since milk does not have to run out if the baby sucks. On the other hand, artificial milk does not need to be prescribed or recommended. Any mother can go to the pharmacy or supermarket to buy the formula that seems most appropriate.
When will you wean him at age 15?
This is a very typical question, which can also be heard similarly as “will you wean it when you go to the military?”, Which would never be, since now there is no more military, or “what are you waiting for, change your tit for the bride's?
Lawrence Gartner, president of the AAP (American Pediatrics Association) breastfeeding working group explained in the last statement made in this regard, dating back to 1997, that “The Academy has not set a limit (for breastfeeding). There are children who are breastfed until 4, 5 or 6 years. This may be infrequent, but not harmful. ”
In other words, each neighbor who takes care of your door or that every mother breastfeed her child until she really wants to. The limit should be set by mom, son or both. As there is no type of contraindication to breastfeeding a child for a long time, it makes no sense for a pediatrician to ask such questions. If we also add that the question is an incredible disrespect for a mother who is not doing anything wrong, grace (or misfortune) is complete.
He made fun of me when I told him that the chest besides food is comfort
Breastfeeding is giving a baby a great food for its development in every way but it is also an intimate moment between mother and child that provides suction and skin-to-skin contact. I think we all take it for granted that a hug is comfort, that touching a baby's skin relaxes him and that sucking causes him to calm down if he is nervous. Well with all these clear premises, I can't understand how a pediatrician does not accept that breastfeeding can comfort a baby or a child.
As with the previous point, if this non-understanding becomes a mockery, little humanity and little education is showing the pediatrician.
Not everything is weeds
I hope that these posts are not misunderstood, because they do not intend to attack a group, much less, but highlight some of the phrases that can come to receive mothers who come to the pediatrician who, the last thing they expect, is Receive criticism or bad information.
In the case of the moms surveyed, they had enough information about breastfeeding to be able to screen the correct sentences from the wrong ones, the good information from the bad and the good education from the bad.
However, not all mothers are equally informed, and hundreds of them leave the pediatrician's office thinking that any day they run out of milk, that they are doing badly to their child for breastfeeding more than eight months or starting After six months there is no point in breastfeeding because milk turns into water.
These posts go to all of them, for those who stopped breastfeeding their children despite having wanted to do it for longer and for all those who want to breastfeed their babies more than their surroundings expect.
In a few days we explain what nurses can say about breastfeeding.
Photos | Flickr - Uqbar is back, en.en
In Babies and more | What criticisms can pediatricians make towards prolonged breastfeeding? (I), Who supports and who criticizes prolonged breastfeeding ?, Can we trust pediatricians when talking about breastfeeding ?, My experience with pediatricians little friends of school and lactation (I), My experience with Little pediatrician friends of schoolboy and breastfeeding (II)
