Kimberly,

I understand your dilemma;  we'd like to see all moms choose
to breastfeed their babies.  However, the reality is that some moms
are going to bottlefeed and, for the benefit of the babies, we do
need to address that issue.  I had the priveledge of hearing Molly
Pessl speak at a WIC conference last week, and she had some
interesting thoughts on bottlefeeding including the fact that many
moms don't know how to properly mix formula and don't know the
importance of holding their babies while feeding them or how to hold
them in a way that best simulates a breastfeeding position and
promotes bonding. It's important for  the health of the bottlefed
babies that their mothers know how to properly bottlefeed if that's
what they're choosing to do.  Is there any reason why you can't make sure
 you address breastfeeding and bottlefeeding in the same class session so that the
bottlefeeders will hear the breastfeeding information?  You can spend
the bulk of the time on the benefits and how-tos of breastfeeding,
tell the TRUTH about breastmilk vs formula so that everyone can make
an informed choice, and then say "If you're choosing to bottlefeed,
here's the proper way to do it".  Plant the seeds of breastfeeding;
some parents may change their minds now and others may still
bottlefeed this baby, but breastfeed the next.  You don't always know
what kind of impact you'll have.   This may seem like a compromise,
but look at it as changing things one step at a time.

Hope this helps.
Dorothy Rae Collier