Lactation management education for physicians.

Abstract

All health professional groups support breastfeeding as the ideal way to nourish an infant, but numerous surveys have shown that, in general, even perinatal health professionals are not prepared to provide lactation management as part of routine care. Integration of lactation topics into current medical curriculum, whether traditional or problem-based, is the ideal and is possible. Faculty are encouraged to assess the current program for signs of "curriculosclerosis," a prevalent disease characterized by Abrahamson as "hardening of the categories," to look for ways to elasticize the relevant departments, and to integrate lactation management topics at the appropriate place in the larger educational plan. Faculty leadership is crucial. Remedial work, in terms of continuing education, will be necessary for perinatal health professionals until the curriculum model has been in place in preservice and postgraduate programs sufficiently long. Breastfeeding as a primary health care strategy, with its clear health and economic benefits, must be a part of any health care reform and, as such, will be a service expected to be provided by perinatal health professionals.