LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 3 Aug 2006 18:18:16 +0200
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (81 lines)
 
How exciting, Julie!!  You can use one TV appearance to get across so
much information to mothers.  I am asked very often to appear on various
morning shows, and health shows.  I have some rules: 
1.	I always try to show a good latch.  I always bring my cloth
breast, and a doll and no matter what they ask me, I will get one good
latch in there.  
2.	Decide what information you want to get to mothers, and write
down the points that you want to get across.  If they ask you something
stupid, such as can  men breastfeed, or you should not make mothers feel
guilty, be ready with an answer that switches the subject to what you
want to say: e.g. can men breastfeed? I answer: " Even if they could,
why should we give them one of the nicest pleasures of being a woman.
If they could, let's keep it a secret!!  Let's show women the right way
to do it so that men won't have a chance...( at this point I start
latching my doll correctly"  )
             Q  Those poor mothers who can't breastfeed feel so guilty.
Don't you think that breastfeeding campaigns add to this guilt?    My
answer: I think that you are confusing guilt with frustration.  Most
mothers want to breastfeed, but because they do not get enough help,
they have problems and they feel frustrated.  Let's give them the help
they need.  For example: sore nipples are one of the main reasons that
mothers give up.  They can prevent sore nipples by latching the baby
correctly on the breast, like this....
               You can always switch any question to latch:  " That is
an interesting question, but I think that most mothers would like to
understand better how to latch their baby on the breast, and here is how
to do it."
I once did an interview and just took over the whole show with latch,
position, and hunger cues.  I think the interviewer only asked one
question, and after than, I just took over with what I wanted to say.  
Lately, I bring those belly balls with me to show just how much babies
really need to eat in the first 3 days.  
 
Find out who is appearing on the show with you.  If it is a doctor, know
something about his specialty so that if he says something stupid, you
can gently correct him.  Find out what he thinks about breastfeeding.  
I appeared on a health show with a gynie who has a reputation for
thinking that lactation consultants are missionaries, and force women at
gun point to breastfeed. I prepared for him the latest information on
mastitis, which was a one page handout, telling him how some gynies were
telling women with breast infections to stop breastfeeding, which is
like telling someone with a urinary infection to stop peeing.    While
we were waiting to go on camera, .  I overheard him say that  his wife
makes fun of him because he does not see the difference between good
champagne, and cheap wine.  
 I also heard him tell someone that today there is really no difference
between breast milk and artificial milk.(he was saying that to make me
annoyed.)  I just laughed and said that this is coming from someone who
thinks that there is no difference between a good French champagne, and
XXX wine ( I named a really cheap Israeli wine).  He turned red, and did
not dare say anything about breast milk on camera because he knew that I
would have said that on the air.  
When we were on camera, of course the guilt issue came up, and I made
the comments that I gave in the example above.  After that, he was a
pussy cat and started quoting all the things that he learned from the
handout that I gave him.  After the show, he invited me to come to see
his hospital and said that if all lactation consultants were like me, he
would not have any complaints.  Just be professional, and do not let
anyone get away with anti-breastfeeding rhetoric.   
 
Let us know how it goes.  Be cool.  Dress in power colors, and do not
let anyone walk all over you.  
 
Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Lis Maternity Hospital
Tel Aviv, Israel
 

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2