Kim, You don't have to talk about "benefits" of artificial feeding. You can talk about bf like you normally do, then talk about how to artificially feed correctly. Make sure they know all the cautions: have their tap water tested for lead, never boil water used to dilute abm due to the danger of lead poisoning (or overconcentrating any mineral contaminent), the danger of excessive fluoride if using bottled "baby water", the need for oral rehydration solutions on hand due to the higher risk of diarrhea in artificially fed babies, the need to sterilize bottles and nipples, the need to check nipples for damage at each use to prevent choking or aspiration of latex/silicone pieces, short storage time of abm, need to throw away any abm left in the bottle after feeds, need for earlier solids to obtain trace elements, need to hold baby and bottle to prevent choking, bottle mouth syndrome prevention, making sure they stock up on extra abm in case of bad weather, trucking strikes, whatever would limit their access to abm. If we don't educate mothers to these difficulties with artificial feeding, they believe the manufacturer's advertising that makes it look easy. And if you gloss through the bottlefeeding information in your class, you make it look easy too. Share this information as dispassionately as you can, and mothers will feel less defensive, and more free to change their minds if bottlefeeding turns out to be more trouble than they bargained for. -- Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC NYC mailto:[log in to unmask]