I recently resigned after 4 years of teaching Bf classes at a local
hospital, for various personal and professional reasons.
    But I have this need to get on my soapbox for just a second and vent.
 The attendance of Bf classes went up while I was teaching, but that isn't
saying much.  The max was 7 or 8 couples, sometimes just 3 Moms.  This is
only a small percentage of the number of couples participating in childbirth
classes.
  It frustrates me that pregnant couples are encouraged by MD's, hosp,
society to attend 6-12 weeks of 2 or 3 hour per session childbirth classes,
which let's face it is essentially a one time event that usually lasts less
than 24 hours, but it's like pulling teeth to get couples into a 2 or 3 hour
breastfeeding class, when breastfeeding hopefully will happen more than once
for months or years rather than hours.
   Now don't get me wrong, I'm not bagging on childbirth classes, think they
are very important, but it seems that our society hypes pregnancy and birth,
and then forgets about the baby that is a result.  I know, I know, there is
money to be made by marketing 'things' to pregnant couples, and hospitals
make $$ related to birth and who makes money on breastfeeding?
  Has anyone found a way to turn this around, where the attendance at bf
classes is at least close to the attendance at birth classes?  (It was not
considered an option at this hospital to just add the bf class to the series
of cb classes)
Climbing down now.  Thanks for the time!
Kathe Catone
By the way, I know some of our Lactnetters will not be signed on over the
college winter break, have a wonderful holiday season, we'll miss you, and
look forward to your return!