Yes, I recently started watching Nip/Tuck .It’s an experience kind of like rubbernecking at the scene of an accident.You are almost afraid to watch, but yet you slow down and watch with an obscene fascination.

This week’s Nip/Tuck episode seriously pissed me off due to the very irresponsible inaccuracies about breastfeeding.You’d think (or hope) that a tv show about medical doctors might have accurate information in it. But it didn’t.

The storyline centered on the idea that one of the doctor’s wives (Julia) might have postpartum depression.The doctor claimed she would be unable to breastfeed their new baby if she took antidepressants. This is very inaccurate!

Here is the truth: Many, many women take antidepressants and safely nurse their children at the same time. In fact, there are several antidepressant options for breastfeeding mothers. A breastfeeding woman does not need to avoid treating her depression due to fear of weaning. Breastfeeding women can consult a knowledgeable physician, an LLL leader, or the book Medications and Mothers’ Milk for guidance on creating a treatment protocol that will not harm the nursing relationship she has with her baby. In most cases, a mother will not have to stop nursing her baby. One warning though: many doctors are not knowledgeable about breastfeeding and medications. I have had doctors give me wrong information about breastfeeding issues on multiple occasions. So if there is any doubt, definitely consult an LLL leader or a lactation consultant before making the drastic step of weaning your baby.

Back to Nip/Tuck: I’m angry about there being yet another instance of inaccurate breastfeeding information shown to the public. How many women saw this episode and erroneously concluded that it might be too difficult to breastfeed because you might have to avoid medications? How many people saw this episode and will remember and repeat back this wrong information to women who might breastfeed? To the producers and writers of Nip/Tuck, I say: Shame on you! You have done a disservice to women and babies everywhere. Next time, do your research first!