For the last 6 years, I have been teaching in courses for various health
professional, both in hospitals and well-baby clinics here in Israel.  One
phenomenon that always pops us in these courses is the reactions of the
nurses who themselves did not succeed in breastfeeding.  This may reveal
itself in a positive way such as, " if I had only know this then, I would
have been able to breastfeed my son and avoid so many hospitalizations," to
" this is nonsense, my children were not breastfed they are
healthy/brilliant/perfect, etc." There were cases of nurses who could not
look at the slides of breasts.......their body language was so interesting:
turning away totally from the screen, inability to make eye-contact when
asked questions.
 I always tried to make the point that they did not fail, but the system
failed them by not giving them adequate information and help.
Those nurses who react this way are the ones who usually gave the worst
breastfeeding advice in the ward, and were the first to push bottles rather
than give help.
IN some of the courses, we could see a gradual change.......the most anti
became breastfeeding advocates by the end of the course, and wanted to study
further, but that was rare.
As an innovative idea in these courses, we now bring a social worker to the
first session to "prime" these nurses, open the wounds and let them air out
their thoughts and feelings.
We do it in the beginning of the course to make them more receptive to the
information that they are learning.  The results are amazing.  So many women
have a sore spot, a raw nerve,  because of their breastfeeding experience
which affects so much of their life and self-esteem.
This is just all the more reason for us to help new mothers enjoy their
breastfeeding experience.

I am supposed to be preparing supplies for the possible backlash of the war
against Iraq.....all I have in my box so far is 2 JHL's, and a new copy of a
breastfeeding textbook for a course and a few bottles of water.  I hope I
will be able to read through my gas mask.

Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Lis Maternity Hospital
Tel Aviv, Israel

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