My seventeen year old daughter asked me to speak to her Advanced Child
Development class on breastfeeding.  She felt her teacher was not
covering the subject in "enough depth."  Her teacher also invited me to
speak to her Teen Parenting class ( teen parents and pregnant teens).

I thought it would be a good idea to invite a nursing mother of a
newborn to my class presentation.  The teacher wanted to get the program
approved.  When she asked for permission, a female administrator replied
"your speaker can talk about breastfeeding, but not show it."  Her
response brought me back to reality.  It reminded me that San Antonio,
Texas is a very conservative community.  The teacher and I decided the
administrator probably did not breastfeed her own children and probably
was not breastfed herself!

My daughter and I had a wonderful discussion at home on how one can
demonstrate breastfeeding without showing it!  We thought of many other
classes that are enhanced by hands-on learning - salt water aquariums in
aquatic science, simulators in driver’s ed, etc.

I reviewed all the videos I could find and only found one that was
discrete enough to show to the classes.  It was my favorite - "A Loving
Way" lovingly created by Nancy Schweers and Margaret Benavides.  It
depicts breastfeeding mothers in a variety of settings nursing
discretely, dispels myths about breastfeeding, and sets a mellow,
non-threatening tone to the discussion.

During my presentations to the classes last week, I showed the video
first.  A basket of items demonstrating the advantages of breastfeeding
was used as an interactive activity.  I made several key points about
species specificity, how formula is created, how all mothers get breast
milk after delivery, and how each family gets to decide how to feed
their own baby.  A weighted doll was used to demonstrate positioning
with each student.  The class was encouraged to ask questions during the
discussion.  A handout with advantages to mother, baby, and father was
provided.  

It was a very enjoyable experience for me.  More than several students
in each class knew someone who had breastfed or were breastfeeding.  The
packet of thank you notes I received the next day reassured me that the
teens were thinking seriously and positively about breastfeeding.  I
firmly believe a child development class should be required of all
graduating seniors.  

I was thrilled that my daughter invited me to her class.  I will have to
remember and savor the thrill because I doubt if my 14 year old son will
ever ask me to be a speaker at one of his classes!

Deborah Ehrhardt, BA, IBCLC
Private Practice San Antonio, Texas