Anne -
Speaking as a member of a community bf support group, we feel strongly that
moms should come to our groups while they are still pregnant.  We do teach
the bf basics at our meetings (for free).  But more importantly pregnant moms
can OBSERVE other moms bf.  Most new moms have never seen another woman bf a
baby.  Seeing a bf video is just not the same.  Not only can they talk to the
leaders about any questions they have, they can also talk to the other moms.
 Nothing is so convincing as having a pregnant mom ask a question re bf and
not only get the facts from a leader, but also have that leader say to
another mom "You faced that situation.  How did you deal with it."  To
actually meet someone who had sore nipples or whatever and got over it and
kept bf is much more encouraging than just hearing about how to treat them.
At community groups pregnant moms can meet new bf moms in their community and
start mom and tot playgroups or just new friendships.  At childbirth classes
they may not meet other moms who live near them, who plan to bf or share
their mothering philosophy.  New moms often feel isolated from their former
childless friends and meeting other new moms is important.
New moms are also more likely to call us for support early (which you know is
important) if they have already met us and established a rapport.  It is
certainly easier to do a hospital or home visit in the first couple of days
then to have to correct all the problems two or three weeks down the road.
I understand that you personally are very knowledgable and supportive of bf
(we are all certainly delighted to have you on the lactnet), but I'm sure you
realize that as a pro bf physician you are in the minority.  Most of us in
the community are dealing with physicians who sabotage our bf moms with their
poor advice.  Certainly I am not against physicians - my father was a
radiologist, my mother an opthomalogist, my uncle a surgeon, and my husband
is a gastroenterologist - but I know all too well the damage they can do.
 Moms need on-going bf support which they are more likely to get from a
community organization.  Moms are more reluctant to "bother" their physician
with bf questions, and are more likely to call their local mother-to-mother
support organization.
I hope you will consider sending your pregnant moms to community groups.  We
need to all work together to provide a "net" for these moms to support them
in their bf.
Cynthia D. Payne
La Leche League leader (and sitting for the exam next month)