First, thanks to those who sent their wise words about my rant yesterday.
I knew my 2200+ closest friends would understand : )!

I feel very good about how we market our BF education classes.  Our BF
initiation rate continues to hover at 75%.  I was delighted last night when
I discovered every mom in the childbirth class I was teaching planned to
breastfeed!  After four years, I think we've got a marketing system that
works (gee, I sound like an MLMer : )

Each patient receives information about our prenatal classes from their
prenatal care provider.  When they call to register for CB classes, we ask
them, "Are you planning to breastfeed your baby?", not "Are you breast or
bottle feeding?"  I believe the question implies breastfeeding as the norm.
I even have women working in my office who haven't had kids who are very
comfortable and excited about it!  You can bet they will be nursing their
babies when the time comes.

We tell parents about our BF class when they sign up for CB classes and
send them a flyer about the BF class when we mail their packet of CB ed.
info to them.  To complete their registration, they have to mail back a
registration form along with payment for the CB classes.  We have a very
convenient place on the form where they can fill in the date of the BF
class they wish to attend.

About a week before the class, we mail them a letter telling them more
about the class and reminding them to bring their partner because she will
need knowledgable support at home.  We have around 10% no shows.  It may
seem like a lot of work but so is setting up a series of classes that no
one comes to and showing up to teach a class to only one or two people.

At least 50% of the women who come to our BF class are coming to figure out
if BF is really what they want to do.  They come into class with a lot of
misinformation from friends, co-workers, and occasionally their health care
providers.  About half actually do come with their partners!  They leave
with accurate information about BF.  Over and over,  moms will write on
their post-course evaluation that they were uncertain about BF but after
attending the class, they'll definitely BF.

We started our classes four years ago when I was still nursing my oldest
child and I attended with her.  The class has changed some and been greatly
improved since then.  We've learned a lot through cont. ed. and networking
with other BF educators.  We've learned the most though from listening to
what moms tell us they need to know.  Making enough milk and returning to
work are major issues in our area so we spend a lot of time on those
topics.  We talk about the return to work issues in the last hour of the
class (it's 3 hours-0900-1200) so that moms who aren't returning to a job
outside of the home can leave if they wish to do so.

People are very busy.  It may seem like a lot of work but they appreciate
the reminders they receive in the mail.  Our CB educators also remind them
in class about the BF class coming up on Saturday morning.  Our OBs and
Peds docs and the nurses on the floor are also happy about what we are
teaching their patients.  They are very satisfied with what the moms are
learning in class.  Moms are more prepared for what to expect and are more
likely to have a rewarding BF experience, which means fewer problems for
them to deal with.  Their cooperation is a big plus.

I've sent our marketing info/ samples out before.  Please e-mail me
PRIVATELY so as not to clog up the list if you wish to receive copies.

Warm regards from the home of the Kansas State Wildcats-
BEAT NEBRASKA!

Maurenne Griese, RNC, BSN, CCE, CBE
Manhattan, KS  USA