Dear Friends:
 
Fiona Robertson asks about dolls in teaching.
 
I have been influenced in my teaching and clinical practice by some of the  
great minds I've encountered; I got this idea from the faculty at Healthy  
Children. When I teach and model breastfeeding (using my StressChest  flexible 
breast model) I use a floppy stuffed animal that is about as long as a  baby. 
Because I see so many different colors of people, I enjoy using a "baby"  that 
has no gender and no ethnic quality; using something soft and cuddly sends  a 
message too. 
 
I have seen other professionals use their hands to illustrate points of  
latch and I do that also. Cathy Watson Genna did a lovely job of using her arm  to 
represent a tongue and her other arm to demonstrate the various degrees of  
tongue tie. Chloe Fisher, in the film "She Needs You" made in Sweden, uses a  
hand puppet and a knitted breast to demonstrate proper attachment.
 
We all have our styles and preferences; our intention is what matters. I've  
used a bottle of juice to represent a baby when there was nothing else  
available; my intention was to communicate the elements of correct  positioning.
 
Just my personal opinion from years of practice.
 
There are many studies showing that modeling is effective, more so  than 
handling a woman's breast. Kvist et al showed that women don't like  their breasts 
handled; the article is in (International Breastfeeding Journal 2007, 2:2 (23 
January 2007)

Harris and Fletcher wrote about hands-off teaching in Breastfeeding Review,  
as did Ingram et al (_Midwifery._ (javascript:AL_get(this, 'jour', 
'Midwifery.');)  2002  Jun;18(2):87-101)
 
"IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: teaching mothers how to breastfeed in a  
'hands-off' way is important in empowering mothers to 'do it for themselves' and  in 
improving breastfeeding rates. Widespread adoption of consistent good  practice 
is achievable following a brief workshop teaching session. Using the  
'breastfeeding score checklist' may help midwives to assess a breastfeed more  
accurately and determine which aspects need improving. "
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I am reminded of an incredible and wonderful story that Nancy  Mohrbacher 
told in her book 7 Steps to Breastfeeding, where the gorilla learned  to 
breastfeed her baby by seeing a group of nursing mothers outside her cage.  Seeing 
teaches better than telling, even across species!!
 
I did a Google Scholar search for "hands off teaching breastfeeding" and am  
surprised with how many articles there are on this topic.
 
My goodness, this has turned into a long post!
warmly,
 
Nikki Lee RN, MS, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI
_www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com_ (http://www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com/) 
www.myspace/AdonicaLee



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