I'm taking my first steps out of lurkdom to share with you something that I
have incorporated into my breastfeeding classes.  I'm Christine Dobkins,
M.S., I.B.C.L.C., a lactation consultant in private practice, teacher of
breastfeeding classes for an OB-GYN practice, LLL leader reserve, past NYC
school teacher (in my other life before I had children), wife of Evan, mother
of formerly-breastfed Kate(19) and Rachel(13) and not-able-to-be-breastfed
stillborn, Beth, who taught me so much.

The pervasive attitude in our culture that formula is an acceptable food for
infants drives me crazy as I'm sure it has does to all of you. While
teaching breastfeeding classes and working with parents, I realized that
nowhere are they educated about the hazards of formula feeding.  I decided
that a change was needed.

In keeping with my teaching  that breastfeeding is the norm, the way that
babies are meant to be fed and that all other foods cannot favorably compare,
I set out to ask parents to identify what were the things that are wrong with
the other food (formula) that would make them want to do nothing but
breastfeed.  To help them identify what  those things are, I give each mom
and dad a few of Coach Smith's FactPack postcards. I ask each parent to
choose
two facts that are most important to him/her and would truly make it
important
for his/her child to be exclusively breastfed.  I give parents ample time to
read and
choose.  Then each parent reads the choices aloud and we discuss them.

What's incredible about this process is the look on the parents' faces as
they read
the cards.  Parents  have said that they are amazed by the studies that have
been done, the findings of these studies and, most of all, are surprised by
the fact that they have never heard or read much about any of this before.

I can only hope that this method of teaching will lead them to be aware of
the hazards of formula feeding and keep babies at the breast.  Maybe in a
year or
two I'll design a study to see if I can document what affects that this
method has on
the parents in my classes.

I encourage all of you who are teaching breastfeeding classes to try this
just to see the looks on the faces of those who are in your class while they
are reading the cards.  I would really like to hear from you to know if you
get the same reactions as I have had.

Thank you Coach Smith for the wonderful teaching materials!

Christine Dobkins, M.S., I.B.C.L.C.
Lactation Consultants of North Jersey
Midland Park, NJ