I also work in a large hospital. The prenatal breastfeeding class offered by the hospital is held in an auditorium and can have anywhere from 25-60 registrants plus support people and sometimes observers, like nursing students. (This is a big difference from the LLL meetings I am used to facilitating!) There are also 3 others who teach this class, all LCs. I try to make it interactive but am restricted somewhat by the planned agenda that we are all expected to cover. We have a video and a powerpoint, the slides of which are in the booklet each couple is given. That gives us alot to cover in 2 1/2 hours. We can update the slides to stay current - including laid-back positioning and updated pictures to reflect a "safe sleep" environment when side-lying. 


My approach when I teach is to break up both the video and the slides. It breaks up the style of educating, allows for more question asking during slides, and for breaks to get moms up and stretching. I explain upfront there will be repetition because some learn better by seeing, some by hearing, and some by reading and also that if a piece of information is repeated, it's probably pretty important. They see positioning in the video and pictures of positioning in the slides. In addition, we have stuffed baby dolls for parents to practice with so we walk through it again while they have their babies to apply what they have seen. I ask for a volunteer and often it is a dad-to-be, which adds some humor to the proceedings. I think they actually pay more attention when it is a dad! 


I try to use humor whenever appropriate to keep things on the fun side. I also pepper the discussion with some personal anecdotes - carefully identified as such - to help show the many differences babies and the breastfeeding experience can have and that each them will have their own unique experience with their baby because that person they are carrying is the only one like him/her. Yes, you can have three opposite children! Since my children are their ages or older, my experiences bring some perspective on how things have changed - no more towel rubs on the nipples in pregnancy, no more alcohol wipes to clean nipples before feedings, etc. 


The majority of the mothers who come are going back to school or work and really want to talk about pumps, so I bring along various styles of pumps, especially the one they are most likely to get through their insurance. With the passing of the ACA, more time is spent on "how to get your pump from the insurance company" procedures than ever. This also leads to the discussion of which pump is best for which situation. One company in this area only gives a manual pump. Another will reimburse for one month of a hospital pump and yet another will cover that pump as long as baby is in NICU. Most give the Medela Pump-in-Style, regardless of circumstance. 


Hope this helps, 


Cindy Garrison BS IBCLC 


working in Pittsburgh PA 

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