Hi all again
I am reposting the message below. Thankyou to those who contacted me with
ideas. I guess the message I really want to get across to participants
(childbirth educators not pregnant couples)  is that by only offereing
token time on the topic of breastfeeding in a class series, what they are
saying to pregnant couples is everything else we talk about is more
important, so that is what we will spend most of our time doing! Most of
the women I speak to who are exiting my study because of breastfeeding
problems say that their antenatal classes led them to believe that b/f was
'natural' and anyone can do it! The fact that I have to spend up to half an
hour debriefing some of these women and usually end up identifying basic
breastfeeding problems - ie. attachment, positioning, supply etc issues and
that they did not feel ready for the 'realities' of b/f backs up my belief
that it is essential that we as health professionals set the scene - labour
& birth are usually over in 24 hours - breastfeeding goes on for many
months and therefore deserves more than a token gesture.
sorry to rant again!
I really need some ideas of how to get these educators thinking about their
practice and to hopefully go away ready to teach more than just preparation
for birth.
warm regards
jenni
RN RM IBCLC in private practice and mother to Daniel, Alicia, Michael,
Ashley, Leighton & Kathryn
[log in to unmask]
"Learning is ever in the freshness of its youth, even for the old

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> From: Jenni James <[log in to unmask]>
> To: LACTNET <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: ideas needed for childbirth workshop
> Date: Saturday, March 21, 1998 10:52
>
> Hi everyone from sunny melbourne
> In August i am running a workshop of one and a half hours for childbirth
> educators at their national conference. I have entitled the session
'ready
> for birth, but what about breastfeeding!. I will present part of my
> research findings that women are saying that they do not feel prepared
for
> the 'realities' of breastfeeding when they have their baby. I would
really
> like this session to be interactive, somewhat confronting - but not too
> much.I want to get them thinking about what their focus is in their class
> content and what message they are sending clients when they provide a 1
or
> 2 hour session on breastfeeding in a 6 week series.  any ideas or things
> that have worked for you? I guess the audience will be midwives, lay
> educators, LC's. all ideas gratefully received
> warm regards
> jenni
> RN RM IBCLC in private practice and mother to Daniel, Alicia, Michael,
> Ashley, Leighton & Kathryn
> [log in to unmask]
> "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hold on!"
>
>