Here is another way to handle this touchy situation - pun intended. <G>

        I have found it very helpful to let  mothers *practice* breastfeeding with a baby doll. I
particularly like to do this with pregnant mums, so that they can get the idea of what a correctly
positioned breastfeeding baby will look like. Baby dolls do not complain when the mother
manipulates them roughly! What I do is to sit opposite the mother with my own dolly and model good
positioning, going through it step by step, and having her imitate my actions. Then she does it on
her own, and we adjust as necessary. If the woman has already had her baby,(and is coming to me
because of positioning concerns) we work on this before putting the live baby to her breast. I have
found that mothers generally feel more confident and knowledgable after they have had an
opportunity to practice in this way. Most people seem to learn more easily by actually doing the
job than by reading about it or watching a video, although these methods also have their place.

        By the way, this is also a very effective way to teach Health Care Professionals and others
how to show mums what to do, especially if they have never nursed a baby themselves! Accurate
language is also very important. I like to place two participants back to back, and have one of
them talk the other through all the steps until the *baby* has latched on, the catch being that the
*mother* may only do EXACTLY what she is intructed! Some of the results at these training sessions
can be hilarious, because most of us have never really thought this through carefully. Actually
doing this exercise brings home the importance of using accurate language, and I usually end up
handing out *cheat sheets* for participants to use as a starting point. This is an especially
useful skill for those who spend a lot of time helping on phone warm-lines, although I do emphasise
the importance of seeing mothers in person whenever possible if there are positioning or latch on
concerns.


Norma Ritter IBCLC
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"If not now, when? If not us, who?" R. Hillel