Alcohol and LAM are pretty diverse topics. Still, I think there are two
approaches to education that influence how we present them both.

First, there is the group that says "Whatever I say can be used against
me and I'm responsible for the outcome....." The person who ascribes to
this will tend to be very cautionary. NO alcohol. NO sex without
artificial birth control, NO co-sleeping.... After all, there is always
that chance, and heaven knows I don't want to be blamed, or sued, or
embarrassed.

Then there are those who feel that students themselves are responsible
for their behaviors. Yes, we can tell them what we know but it is up to
them to make their own decisions. A person who takes this approach is
likely to say "alcohol will pass into your beastmilk.....that may not be
a problem in small amounts....it is up to you to decide." Or, "the
research seems to indicate that the first bleeding episode postpartum
will be anovulatory....that if your baby has taken nothing by mouth but
breast and if you have not had a period yet, your chance of pregnancy is
about the same as if you were on the pill." Or, "here are some articles
about the co-sleeping debate, decide for yourself."

 Personally, I choose to be of the second category. I now have an
informed consent for my private clients that says that I am a consultant
and educator, that I do not make decisions for them, that I trust their
wisdom and will support their choices.

Peggy O'Mara has a dyn-o-mite editorial on this very subject in this
month's Mothering. I agree with her wholeheartedly. Really, folks, we
have to stop taking the blame when our clients make bad choices. Can we
be sued? Sure. But, are we helping ourselves by taking on more and more
responsibility and being more and more cautionary? No. The fact is, no
matter what we say...someone can blame us for something. In the meantime
we harm not only ourselves, but also our clients who we disempower by
withholding information out of fear.

Susan Keith-Hergert

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