My breastfed baby had not been gaining enough weight in the first couple of weeks. Instead of checking his latch, asking about stooling, or asking about duration of feedings on each breast, the doctor jumped straight to telling me my breastmilk was too low-calorie and that I should start supplementing. She had not analyzed my milk, so she had no way of knowing how much fat was in my milk--I knew something was off when she said that. She also told me that it was normal for my 3 wk old to not be drooling daily. That is wrong--it becomes normal between 4-6wks according to La Leche League, but before that, it's an indication that the baby might not be getting enough hind milk. I am lucky that I already had a breastfeeding peer counselor from WIC helping me, or else breastfeeding would have gone from bad to worse with this doctor's advice. I found out that his latch was preventing him from sucking effectively enough to get enough hindmilk. She helped me fix the latch, and although she did not tell me to go against Dr's orders, she gave me the extra advice of pumping after feeding and asking if I could use my pumped milk as a supplement instead of the formula. The further emptying of my breast actually helped me make more milk for my baby, and he got all the calories from the hind milk, as well. For older kids, this office is ok. For little babies, i cannot recommend. The doctor rushed to judgement with obviously very little breastfeeding knowledge to offer. Also, when I asked if there was a Lactation specialist to consult in the office, I was told no, but that I can look for information online.
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