As you all know by now, I exclusively pump for the baby. I won't repeat the whole story, but just suffice it to say that she gets only breastmilk for all her feedings in a bottle. Now you are up to speed in case you haven't read any previous posts. Here's the scene from last night.
I'm waiting in the exam room and little sister is fussy. I'm trying to offer her a bottle. In comes the doctor. Let's call him Dr. Dolittle, because really that's what he did.
We chat for a few minutes about her symptoms and why I brought her in. He seemed to have notes on this little cheat sheet/index card that the nurse must have written down for him. OK. So, he's listening to my story of what's been going on the past couple of days and I'm telling him about how she's been acting like she's hungry, but when presented with the bottle, she takes a few sips, but is more comfort sucking and just getting milk by accident and taking F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to take the bottle. But, that I keep offering it and she has generally taken her her normal amount of ounces and explain her other symptoms.
Here's the convo that followed two seconds later:
Dr. Dolittle: What type of formula is she on?
Me: None, she only gets breastmilk.
Dr. Dolittle: Oh. Really? OK, so you don't really know how much she's getting.
Me: Confused look (since I *just* told him she had taken her normal amount of ounces)
Dr. Dolittle: Well, I assume she's on the breast at home.
Me: Nope, just get's bottles.
Dr. Dolittle: Really? Oh, ok. So, are you supplementing with formula?
Me: No. Just breastmilk.
Dr. Dolittle: OK, well let me take a look....
Blah, blah, blah and the exam ensued.
So, of course because he saw me feeding her a bottle, he assumed it was formula. OK. Then made the assumption that because she get's breastmilk, that she's actually breast-fed. I never really realized how many assumptions are made about this. And, really, by 7pm last night, I was in no mood to explain to him why my baby gets breastmilk in a bottle. It really doesn't matter.
The assumptions just bug me, I don't know why.
Actually, maybe it was just because he clearly wasn't really listening to what I had said. I told him she had taken her regular number of ounces (I don't know many moms who feed from the breast that can discuss ounces.) and after his first questions about formula, I clearly said that she only gets breastmilk. Do you really need to question me about it again? It's not classified information or anything. If she had any formula in recent weeks, I'd tell you. I want her to feel better and I'll give you every shred of info I can if it leads to an answer.
It's situations like this that worry me. Do some people really place the 'status' of exclusively breastfeeding over the well-being of their child? Is there really a mom out there that is so wrapped up in maintaining the appearance of ebf that she would lie about giving formula to her sick child's pediatrician???? I really hope not, but I fear that I may be wrong.
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