Margaret,

My overall sense about bf classes is in some ways the less said the
better. With small groups you can do an exercise at the beginning to
elicit what people already know, including misimpressions and
misinformation and what their worst fears are and then base the session
on  those things. What are the bf initiation rates in your area? What
are the most common barriers you see? Why do people come to the class?
Do they want to be convinced to breastfeed? Do they have questions
about mechanics? Are they worried about going back to work? Are they
dealing with pressure from husbands, grandmothers, friends to
supplement or not bf at all?

Breastfeeding shouldn't be complicated. With a supportive environment
and lots of skin skin contact bf initiation should take care of itself.
If it doesn't then you have a problem requiring an LC and those issues
shouldn't be raised in a one hour class. One should assume that bf is
normal and that it will be successful.

Mostly I would talk about how amazing human milk and human breasts are.
How milk content and supply change over time and circumstances, how
breastfeeding works. This will be fun, informative and may give them
some arguments to offer those in their lives who don't understand bf
and therefore undermine it.

Do you work in a place where a lot of people return to work soon after
the baby is born or are otherwise separated from the baby? If so, then
some discussion of nursing and pumping is in order. How long to nurse
before beginning to pump etc. etc.

These suggestions may be showing up my US bias. I don't know what the
primary concerns about bf are in Australia. Hope it's helpful anyway.
Let us know what you come up with.

Naomi Bar-Yam
--------------------------------
Naomi Bar-Yam Ph.D.
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Researcher, Writer, Educator
in Maternal and Child Health
--------------------------------

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