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Home › Articles › Breastfeeding Basics › Doc Talk

Doc Talk

How Much Does Your Doctor Really Know About Breastfeeding?

By Gwen Morrison

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Many pediatricians, OB/GYNs and family physicians lack knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding and do not have the necessary tools to advise women on breastfeeding concerns, says a report in the Journal of Perinatal Education.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recognizes the benefits and encourages their members to promote breastfeeding, but a recent survey indicated something that mothers already know: Doctors are not recommending breastfeeding to their patients as per the guidelines set out by the AAP.

Adequate Training?
For some women, breastfeeding is a challenge, and they rely on medical professionals to lead the way. "It doesn't help that physicians and nurses don't receive adequate information that they can pass on to their patients," says Diane Spatz, Ph.D., RNC, an assistant professor of health care of women and children at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

She feels that many women are left in the lurch, forced to listen to information that is not necessarily correct. "There is a lot of bad information out there," she says. "People are just not educated in the benefits and other key issues of breastfeeding. That can be a dangerous thing for infants."

The Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, where Spatz is employed, has implemented a program to combat this lack of information, aiming to educate physicians and nurses about breastfeeding. The program is multi-tiered and unique for doctors and nurses. Spatz feels that the impact of the training will be phenomenal, especially to the high-risk infants she sees most often.

"The training runs the full gamut of breastfeeding information for nurses over a two-day course," Spatz explains. "When it's complete, the nurses would then be qualified to help new mothers with their breastfeeding needs and arm them for their future concerns."

Physicians will go through a comprehensive training program that will ultimately take them from their residency and forward. They will learn informative content on breastfeeding, have lactation rounds and learn what happens in a primary care setting.


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