Enhancing Breastfeeding class suggestions: 

We use the Injoy "Understanding Breastfeeding" DVD (advertised as suitable for Baby Friendly hospitals). I get the after-lunch slot so have to keep families engaged for another 2 1/2 hrs!  We start out by discussing concerns/myths brought to the table by families.  Love to get perspectives on where families are coming from, if they were breastfed or not, if they have family or friends that have breastfed and if positive or neg experience.  Sometimes I have to throw out the first one to break the ice and try to make it funny (i.e. does breastfeeding make breasts sag more?).  The 34 minute video ends up taking at least an hour because we stop to discuss and "play".  

Each family gets a breastfeeding education folder whose contents we briefly review. Special emphasis on the list of reputable online resources, hand expression handout from Lactation Education Resources and refrigerator chart on how to tell baby is getting enough for the first 2 weeks.

Each family has a baby doll.  We practice positioning, proper swaddling and how to calm a fussy baby without pacifiers.  Significant others are required to help mom adjust positioning.  I have Dad's that practice the positioning on themselves!  When practicing football hold, dads especially get it because we talk about tucking that football into the body as if they were running down the field for a touchdown. This may sound sexist but I do live in a state where a certain university has won the last 2 national collegiate football championships!  We practice hand expression with a lovely crocheted breast I won at our state breastfeeding coalition conference!  I pass around and teach how to properly use a nipple shield. Staff are good at giving these out like candy but don't teach mom's how to use correctly.  Trying to pre-empt!

Working on adding 2 short videos to the class that will capture anyone's attention!  One is breastcrawl.org which can be shortened to 3 mins for the most important parts.  The second is the Jamie Ogg story (https://youtu.be/g6_97kCN1v0) about importance of skin-to-skin care that runs 2 mins.  I show this in our staff breastfeeding class and have tissues ready!!

Now, if we could just get better attendance!!

Holly RN BSN IBCLC
southeast

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