crappy doctor vent

[dragonflyblu]

i have mastitis. my first time so i think i have been really lucky so far.I just had the worst experience at the doctor. We are living in a small village (villingen) about an hour from stuttgart in Germany. I dont actually have a dictor here and went to a walk-in clinic so i can understand that the male doctor there looked at me like an alien when I told him my babies DOB and that I had mastits. He said "you need to stop feeding". I gave him a quick talk about the current research into the benefits of extended breastfeeding. Anyway, DD is not even 12 months yet so we are not 'extended" breastfeeders yet! I started to tell him the WHO recommendations and he told me that WHO was just for 3rd world countries..... it gets worse.... he sent me to a gyno as it is a specialist problem and the gyno told me I had to stop feeding. I should have stopped at 6 months and put her on a bottle so I know how much she is getting. She asked me how many mls breastmilk bubs had a day! Needless to say at this point I thought she was the alien! I told her since Clea gets the milk directly from my breast and breasts dont have a measuring cup I dont know how many mls she is getting. She then told me a heap of information that i would think was ouyt of date. But then she also examined my breasts and said I had no milk left and that it was just a comfort for me! I feel horrible. all of that just to get some antibiotics.

i feel a bit demoralised and now i am wondering if my supply is low :( bubs is so healthy (apart from a cold!) and she is well developed, good weight.... i hate these doctors that put doubt in my mind.

[punkbaby]

Stupid doctors!! OMG you poor thing dont they know anything? Its normal for your breasts to feel empty, you know yourself if your bubs is happy, has lots of wet nappies and is growing/alert etc that shes getting enough you know your baby more than anything! (and you know your boobs too)
Sorry you had to go through all that!

[aardvark]

Sounds like they need to be whacked about the head with a can of formula.

After a while your breasts get better at making milk on demand, so the feeling of "fullness" is less.

And the worst thing you can do with mastitis is stop feeding, anyway. You need to keep the breast as drained as possible - start the feeds from the affected side, with bub's lower jaw near the blockage if possible, as that will help drain the area more effectively.

If you are ever in doubt about your supply, just count the number of wet nappies. At least 7 quite wet cloth, or 4-5 heavy disposables per day, and bub is getting enough. If you don't pour it in at the top, it can't pour out the bottom end!

Take the antibiotics, keep the breast well drained by feeding, and REST.

[cmd'smum]

Sounds like they need to be whacked about the head with a can of formula.

After a while your breasts get better at making milk on demand, so the feeling of "fullness" is less.

And the worst thing you can do with mastitis is stop feeding, anyway. You need to keep the breast as drained as possible - start the feeds from the affected side, with bub's lower jaw near the blockage if possible, as that will help drain the area more effectively.

If you are ever in doubt about your supply, just count the number of wet nappies. At least 7 quite wet cloth, or 4-5 heavy disposables per day, and bub is getting enough. If you don't pour it in at the top, it can't pour out the bottom end!

Take the antibiotics, keep the breast well drained by feeding, and REST.


:iagree:

You know how much nutrition your DD is getting from your BM, obviuosly more so than what these Drs think they know, or don't for that matter! she needs it now more than ever as you say she has a cold! I didn't know OUR BOOBS HAD BUILT IN MEASURING JUGS, MUST USE THEM!:doh::hair:

You're doing a great job, your dd sounds and looks healthy (from you av) don't let them make you doubt yourself!:no::hugs:

[dragonflyblu]

i feel so much better. thankyou everyone. i know she is getting plenty. she hardly eats any solids. doesnt drink anything else but about 50mls of fennel tea a day. and she had gastro recently and we had a bloodtest and everything was perfect.

no wonder so many women doubt themselves. i thought i was pretty confident and a couple of bad doctors and i fall apart :no:

[punkbaby]

i feel so much better. thankyou everyone. i know she is getting plenty. she hardly eats any solids. doesnt drink anything else but about 50mls of fennel tea a day. and she had gastro recently and we had a bloodtest and everything was perfect.

Both my girls didnt really eat eat till around 12 months they were just having one meal a day up until then as they werent interested :)

[Sheer Bliss]

OMG that is disgusting!!

Those 'dr's need some serious re-education!

I always thought that mastitis was more likely if you had an oversupply of milk, not an undersupply.

As you said - from the tests when your DD was sick, she is doing just perfectly on your breastmilk, and the fact that she IS breastfed, probably helped her through the gastro.

I half expected to see your baby much older when they 'seen her age & told you to stop' (not that it would be warranted either) She's not even one yet - goodness me!

[delirium]

I'm a ffer, but i don't know where to begin with what's wrong in what they've told you :no: As others have said, you shouldn't stop feeding. Take some ab's and try to empty the affected breast. Why did they send you to a gyno?? :confused: A gyno deals with reproductive issues not bfing! Do you have access to a lactation consultant or even a family member that is/has been an experienced bfer??

[dragonflyblu]

apparently in Germany gyno's deal with "womens things". I feel much better tonight. I really feel like sending some info packs to those stupid doctors. Charlis_mum its funny you should say that because the only BFing problems I have ever had are due to an over supply and I was wondering about this tonight as I hotpacked the boob.... hmmm...

[Oblena]

I think if you had no milk you probably would not get mastitis as it is a milk duct blockage (Blocked with milk of all things!!!!)

I would have thought that this should have been obvious to them.

Don't worry I was also told at 12 mth check that my milk has no nutritional value and I should stop. I was upset, despite what I knew to be true as deep down you still feel that they should know best. In truth , these people just do not know anything about BFing at all.

[squiglet]

I think you sound like your doing a wonderfull job. Good on you for not listening to those silly Dr.'s.;) and sticking to what you want to do.

[dragonflyblu]

thankyou everyone. after spending a night thinking of all the things i could have said.... I am happy i stood up to both doctors and a bit angry that they made me doubt for a moment. I fee like I have done more research than both doctors and besides I have almost 12 months experience!