>Date: Sat, 6 Apr 1996 11:34:34 -0600
>To:[log in to unmask]
>From:[log in to unmask] (Sulman Family)
>Subject:response to instructor
>
>Dear Stephanie,
>
>I can understand your feeling upset that your nursing instructor let that
>"sick" comment slip by without a correction.  Speaking as a former nursing
>instructor, I wonder if you could play a role in a supportive way to help this
>instructor.  Why not share some references with her to educate her about the
>major differences between formula and breastmilk?  You could make an
>appointment to talk with her in her office, and let her know how the other
>student's remark made you feel.  Then share some helpful resource materials.
>This will give her the opportunity to read and learn and perhaps give more
>time and attention to this topic in the future.  Sometimes it is hard for a
>teacher to respond to a negative comment on the spot in front of a whole
>class.
>
>Do you have the opportunity to do any oral presentations on topics of your
>choice, or perhaps a term paper for this class?  Breastfeeding would be a good
>topic.  I do know that as a teacher I learned a great deal from my student
>nurses and all the varied experiences they were able to share with me and the
>rest of the class in this way.
>
>To start, I would refer her to the article by Marsha Walker, "A Fresh Look at
>the Risks of Artificial Feeding" in Journal of Human Lactation vol. 9, no.
>2:97-107, June 1993.  It is also available from ILCA's publications dept., 200
>N. Michigan Ave., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601.  Another "classic" article is
>"Breastfeeding and Health in the 1980's: A Global Epidemiologic Review," by
>Cunningham, Jeliffe and Jeliffe in the Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 118, no.
>5:659-666, May 1991.  You could call your local La Leche League and ask for
>their "Facts About Breastfeeding" sheets, or order them from LLLI.  These
>2-sided single pages cite recent research studies for each year - 1996, 1995,
>etc.  Of course there are many other good resources, but these would be a
>manageable place to begin.
>
>Good luck.  Again, I'd begin by assuming that your instructor would like to be
>well-informed, then share your knowledge with her and your class in a
>supportive rather than an attacking way.  Good luck!  Maybe you can end up by
>helping the whole class be better informed, and turn them into a group of
>advocates for breastfeeding (and pumping when it is needed)!
>
>Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC and LLL Leader in Madison, WI
>
>e-mail address: [log in to unmask]