I don't know how people talk where you are from, but I have three kids, lived in two states, and gone to various doctors with all of them. I have not once been told I 'must' breastfeed my kids, I 'must' vaccinate my kids, or that I 'must' do anything with them... I've always assumed it was because they were *my* kids. Oh, yeah, and none of those things are actually 'musts'. And if I had been told that any of these things were a 'must', then we would've left and found a new doctor. Not because I don't believe those things are important, but because I don't believe doctors should be mis-educating their patients or manipulating them into thinking things are mandatory when they actually aren't.
(I have been told things were 'musts' for me, you MUST have a pap smear before getting pills, even though you had one two months ago, etc. And I have refused to do those things and found a new doctor.)
Nap, thanks for your input. I agree with you on most of these points actually. I used the term must in a post like 2 pages ago. What I was conveying was it was super duper important. Me saying something is a must do about a topic is me saying it is really important. Me saying you must to a patient is a totally different connotation. I feel that doctors have the right to force people to comply with their standards, like in your instance a doctor saying "I won't rx such and such medication until you have your female exam" but you as the patient exercise your right to say "screw that, Ima find a doctor that doesn't have that policy." When I say something is a must do, must see, must try, I am not forcing or coercing anyone, simply conveying the importance, awesomeness, deliciousness of whatever I am talking about. I would never say "you must" do this with your kids (because of the different connotation) unless it is something that is obviously inherently required. ie You must not beat your children. Is this making any sense?
And woah, what doctor made you repeat your pap in 2 months??? I just reread the time-frame on that. That is insane? Why did they say they needed another? Did the first test not run correctly due to insufficient collection or something? Yikes.
EDIT: Looking back on my post where I said it was a must (bc it has been a long time) I was quoting someone who earlier said that breastfeeding was a must. I was referring to the timeframe of breastfeeding. She said 2 years, I said however long, but it is a must for the first 6months, because that is when babies need it most.
Edited by Kaddict, 23 August 2014 - 10:18 AM.