Hello,
You are so right, most doc's know nothing about inducing lactation. When we adopted our son in Peru, I asked my OB/GYN about breastfeeding and he told me that it was not possible, did not even suggest contacting LLL etc...so I went to Peru and saw several other adoptive mom's nursing. I asked one woman and she showed me her supplemental feeding device, she had also pumped ahead of time. Since being back, I have written a lengthy letter to my PREVIOUS doctor and told him about all the different ways of inducing lactation and also gave him copies of the protocols. Never heard anything back from him. My new ob/gyn got copies of the protocols, but did not feel comfortable prescribing a bcp with a dose higher than 1/20,,,even though I explained it would only be for 6 months. She knows what I am doing, but I ended up ordering the meds from Canada, then New Zealand. When my bp started to get a little high on the meds, I called the doc, and she said she did not feel comfortable prescribing a anti-hypertensive medication for me. I asked her if any of her patients on the bcp had high blood pressure and needed meds, she said yes. I then asked her if any of her pregnant patients had high bp and needed meds,,,she said yes. I said, I am a patient of yours with a bp of 140/75 and am requesting a low dose bp med for two months that I have remaining on the protocol and you will not give it to me? She said no. So I ended up trying to get an apt with an internal medicine or family practitioner,,,no luck getting in for 6-8 weeks, so I have no choice now but to go to a walk in clinic to see a doc a have never even met to get bp meds. It is very frustrating to say the least. I did talk to a LC at a local hospital and she wants to follow my progress as she said they have never had anyone she knows induce lactation, so I at least have one support person close by.
When the doc's say I know nothing about induced lactation, I just want to say,,,well then find out about it,,,research it,,,become familiar with it! Thanks , Cathy
