Doctors appointment - what a joke!

[Lavenderlime]

I think the problem with GP's is that it's such a wide spectrum of medicine that they have to learn that i'm sure some things get missed no excuse for her just dissmissing you though she should have called on another Dr. If she was unsure.

[DoulaMama]

When Dr's are in school to become GP's or MD's they spend ONE month on fertility and birth. That's it. So you DO know WAY more than this Dr. Of course there are things to help LP! And no, you don't have to stop nursing at all! Ugh this infuriates me!! If you can find someone else-heck even a midwife would know more-I would do that. This Dr. has no clue.Progesterone is the one thing that comes to mind for me...I know many women that need it to get and stay pregnant.

[rainbowflower]

lol Zana that made me laugh! I'm sure she could learn a lot from that book..

Lavender - yeah I can imagine that, this doctor has been a doctor for quite a long time, it surprises me that noone else has approached her with similar issues before. I'm kicking myself for not asking her at the time who else I could ask!

DM - Infuriates me too, no reason my DS has to miss out because we want to TTC. I think you're right that many must know more than her. Perhaps I was just unlucky that she was the one I was assigned to.

[atomic sagebrush]

I'm new to my surgery so don't know the doctors there and when making my appointment I asked to see someone knowledgeable about fertility. The receptionist said noone sprang to mind as a specialist but that they should all know that...

I went in this morning and told the doctor that my periods had returned in June when LO was 6 months, and that although my charts showed I was ovulating I had a luteal phase defect.
Her response? "What's that?" I was (nearly) speechless. I had to explain to her what it meant....

She then went on to ask if I was a specialist and how I knew all this, and pretty much dismissed me as soon as I said I'd researched it online.

She said that, "despite what other women online have said", there was nothing she could do and that I had to choose what I wanted more - to BF my son, or to give up so we can TTC again. That's rubbish!! I asked about progesterone supplements of any sort and she said that she wouldn't be giving me anything to mess around with OV and I explained that that's not what progesterone does. She still said no. TBH I can understand her not wanting to prescribe something when she doesn't understand the science behind it, but to say that there is NOTHING you can do to improve the situation when she is clearly has no knowledge on the area is just insulting.

I was worried that I'd be dismissed quickly but didn't think I'd feel so infuriated that I know more about this than she does and that her mind wasn't open to learn.

Rant over. Feel a bit better now.

I am SO SO SORRY rainbow. That is just inexcusable. I know it's no consolation but I have had the same types of experiences again and again and quite frankly, I think doctors have made their own beds regarding people researching online because they are so incompetent that we have no choice.

PS - family planning may be NPF expert which is good, but then again may be someone who is very into "overpopulation" and pushing birth control onto you, which is bad.

((((hugs)))) and again, I really feel for you!!

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh and I wanted to let you know that my doctor was very supportive of TTC while nursing and also nursing all during pg and beyond (tandem nursing) so I do know there are docs out there who approve of it.

[rainbowflower]

thank you atomic. I'd love to tandem nurse if my DS still wants to BF then. I can't see him wanting to stop on his own accord any time soon as I swear he loves my boobs more than he loves me right now

I agree, I should have told her I read books and research papers/publications instead... I get the impression she is not the internet-savvy sort.

[DoulaMama]

LOL! My 18mos old loves my boobs more than life itself, too! Although, the pain I have come 18w pregnant, while nursing, makes me want to run screaming everytime he wants to nurse

[rainbowflower]

ouch, in what way does it hurt now? my nipples have become desensitised by BF, does that return then?

[zanacal]

I breastfed DS2 when I was pregnant with DS3 and it was agony - I don't think it was a sensitive nipple thing, more of an internal pain - what I imagine it would feel like to have a Dyson attached to my boob!

[atomic sagebrush]

I'll give it to you straight, BF during pg was among the hardest things I have ever done in my life. NOT FUN at all but the benefits when the baby comes are SO huge that if you can hang on, I promise you won't be sorry. I didn't get engorged at all for the first time and my 3rd son was able to get some one-on-one mommy time that I think he really needed. I didn't have much milk at all for the last few months of pg and when he latched on again and there was milk, I swear I felt a wave of relief from him that was palpable. I don't think he ate any food at all that first week after I brought the new baby home!!!

It's not only painful, but there is something mental that happens to you and it makes it hard to continue. It's like you just don't want anyone touching you in that way. I actually had to stop frequently, get up, walk around, gather my wits, and start again. I'm sure there is some natural instinct that came into play. The baby will also get very fidgety and want to switch sides a lot because not a lot of milk is coming out.