This theme, "what babies want" (unrelated to the film), is something that I 
just started using in my breastfeeding classes.  In fact, I used it for the first 
time last Wednesday, and that was by far my best breastfeeding class since I 
started doing them in January!  I will see the film ASAP and I'm hoping it's 
something that can be incorporated into a class.  I'm not sure if copyright 
issues may prevent that though.

I want to share this angle on my breastfeeding class with anyone who is 
looking for teaching ideas.  It's not a new idea, I know...but new to me!

I started my class by asking the question, "Why do you want to breastfeed?".  
Mothers tend to choose breastfeeding for reasons relating to babies' physical 
needs: nutrition and health benefits.  They also list mom's benefits, financial 
reasons, and some say for bonding.  Most moms-to-be can recite the laundry 
list of reasons to breastfeed, but in our formula feeding society these reasons 
can all be countered.  They often truly believe that formula provides almost as 
good nutrition.  They themselves were formula fed, they know many healthy 
people who were formula fed, and they ask, "Are the benefits really proven, or 
is it just hype?".  They are so sold on the adequacy, ease, and normalcy of 
formula that the alternative (breastfeeding) seems overrated.  

They hear of bonding benefits, but I know that for myself anyway, 'bonding' 
was a very abstract concept before I actually had my babies in my arms.  
Also, most women are not prepared to acknowledge that artificial feeding can 
result in less of a bond between mom and baby.  To illustrate this, I did a 
Google image search of 'breastfeeding' and 'bottle feeding' and asked my moms 
to look at the babies in the pictures.  All mothers in the photos looked at 
either the baby or the camera.  But the babies were different: bottlers either 
looked straight forward, away from mom, or slept, and they hugged their 
bottles.  Some babies were held in a lap or facing away from the feeder.  
Breastfeeders made eye contact with mom or they slept, and they always 
hugged mom.  This made an impression.

After a sensible discussion of 'why', I then asked them to ponder this: "What 
does your baby want?".  Hmmmm...the answers were a little slower to come!  
They had never thought of this!  I divided baby's wants (needs) into 2 
categories: emotional (comfort) and physical (warmth, security, food).  Then I 
compared ways of how they can be met.  
Comfort:
The breastfeeding way:  skin to skin with mother
The 'routine' way: not much comfort really...baby may get a belly flop with 
mom, then off to the warmer for procedures.  In the days after delivery, 
comfort is often provided by swaddling or giving a pacifier.
I asked parents to compare these 2 from baby's point of view, and how baby's 
normal instincts to nurse may be affected.

Warmth:
The breastfeeding way: skin to skin with mother
The routine: under radiant warmer for 15 minutes after delivery, then swaddled 
in 2-3 blankets.    
I asked parents to compare these 2 from baby's point of view.  They both 
meet the warmth objective, but only one meets baby's needs.

Security:
The breastfeeding way: skin to skin with mother
The routine: under warmer and/or swaddled
We know that baby is secure but...does baby know this?  This is meeting our 
needs for baby's security, but is it meeting baby's needs?

Food:
Breastfeeding or bottle feeding
I asked parents to compare these 2 from baby's point of view, and they 
understood how only one actually meets all of baby's needs.  

Looking at breastfeeding from this angle helped them to understand that they 
were not just choosing a feeding method...breast or bottle...but a parenting 
method.  I explained that the act of breastfeeding was different than the act 
of bottle feeding.  And after this discussion, their reasons for why they 
wanted to breastfeed were more along these lines:  it's normal, it's what 
babies expect and what babies need!

This was the intro to my 2 1/2 hour class, and it stimulated so much 
discussion and so many questions.  I saw a lot of 'ah ha' moments!  I ended 
this with Alice Roddy's beautiful quote:  

"Nursing is the biological norm for mothers and babies.  It is a relationship that 
links the baby's immune system to the mother's, provides the baby with 
stimulation and connection while providing the mother with stress reducing 
hormones. It even feeds the baby."

I have only used this format once and I know I will develop it further.  I would 
love to hear any comments and suggestions!

Julie Conaway, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Lactation Consultant
573-458-7353
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