So I just had an eye opening experience at the doctor's office. I thought, foolishly as it turns out, that the problems breastfeeding women have in clinical settings was not something we have to deal with in our progressive little community. My lactation classes focus a lot on how to get the hospital you work at to encourage breastfeeding and get policy to reflect that. I kept saying to myself that that wouldn't be something that I would ever have to implement, since obviously our area is soooo supportive of breastfeeding. Wrong.
I went in to the clinic for a rash and saw a new doctor there, Mark Barrick, I believe his name was. I was prescribed a topical ointment to apply and leave on. During the consultation my baby made the "milk" sign in baby sign language, so I breastfed her. At this point I told the doctor that I was concerned about the ointment, since we co-sleep with our little one and she still nurses at night. I asked for some advice, since I didn't want her ingesting the ointment. He asked me how old she was, and when I told him he responded by recommending that I wean her. I was told that my baby is "aggressive," that it would only get more difficult to wean the longer I waited, and that "they" recommend weaning at one year old. He told me that he'd seen a nursing two and a half year old and both the child and the mother were miserable. It was then that things got really ugly. He told me that he believes that mothers who continue to nurse their children are getting "some kind of pleasure from it, and not the good kind." He continued on to say that he also believed that women who prolong nursing are lacking something in their lives, some kind of love and affection, and are trying to make up for it by continuing to nurse their child.
I was floored. So much so that I couldn't even respond other than to nod and say "uh-huh." When I left I was upset and despondent, as we're not ready to wean yet, and especially not in the cold-turkey method he recommended. I know that the longer children breastfeed the healthier they are and the fewer long-term illnesses they have. I also know that the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for AT LEAST two years, and longer if possible. The American Association of Pediatrics recommends continued breastfeeding for a minimum of a year. Yet still with all this knowledge I had a hard time ignoring the advice from a trusted professional. It took about an hour before I shook it off and got angry. How DARE he insinuate that if I choose to continue breastfeeding my baby I am a sexual deviant living a loveless life and that I'm using my child to feel something?!?!?!? I'm not sure where he gets off trying to push his old-fashioned Freudian views on innocent mothers who are only doing what's best for their children, but he seriously needs to get some psychological help and an updated education about lactation. The fact that he offered no other solution other than weaning just speaks to the fact that his medical training is sorely lacking.
I want all nursing mothers out there to know that wanting to continue nursing your child is NOT wrong. Your child will only benefit from continued nursing, as breast milk is full of immune boosters. Any one who gives you the advice to wean your child when there are no breastfeeding problems or health concerns should be ignored. Pointedly. Many many many mothers struggle to achieve a good breastfeeding relationship with their child and should be encouraged to continue it for as long as she and her child want to. I expected more from our health clinic. And to the doctor I saw, shame on you!
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