Linda Inglis responded to my post re: the Delaware visiting nurse service for
pre and post natal care .  The information that I posted was a direct quote
from the newsletter "Closing the Gap" a publication of the Office of Minority
Health.

I am certainly pleased that breastfeeding IS promoted, although that wasn't
the sense I got when reading the article. As I recall, the mother said that
she was shown bottlefeeding videos by the nurse, although Linda writes that
the Dept. of Health doesn't do this. Interviews don't always appear in print
in exactly the same manner that they occurred in "real life".   For example,
nothing was said about the mother having been told about the advantages of
breastfeeding. And why WOULD the interviewer include that? After all, this
mother chose to  bottlefeed, and look at how healthy her one year old is...

I too work in a busy WIC clinic, and try to teach parenting skills along with
breastfeeding promotion, and in fact, will ask mothers who believe they will
choose bottle feeding to imitate some of the breastfeeding behaviors such as
cuddling the baby during feeds as opposed to bottle propping, switching the
formula fed baby from side to side as breastfed babies are to promote eye
hand coordination on both sides,  being careful about preparing and storing
formula, and to be watchful for babies' hunger cues.
I know that not every mother will breastfeed; I hope that I can build rapport
with ALL the mothers so that some of the message will be heard and accepted.

Pearl Shifer, IBCLC