Ok.  We have gotten brave.  My partner and I have decided to invite the
local pediatrictions to our next bf class.  The bf rates are rather low in
this area, and there is not alot of support for bf moms.  Bf babies are very
quick to be admitted to the hospital for jaundice.  They are taken off
breastmilk (because bm caused the jaundice, you see), put on formula and put
under bili-lights.  Use of an SNS is just about unheard of.  The docs are
very quick to encourage mom to bf, but that's about as far as it goes.  One
of the docs came and spoke in one of our postpartum care classes one night
and the question of bf came up.  When asked how long you should bf, he
replied, 'well, the AAP recommends 6 months, and then you can switch to
formula if you'd like'  A few minutes later he made that comment that,
'sometimes he instructs moms to give their babies supplemental bottles of
formula when the babies don't gain enough weight.  Bf babies lose weight at
first'  Well, needless to say, we were cringing by the time he left!  Then
we pulled ourselves together and had a talk about the AAP recommendations,
supplemental bottles, insufficient milk supply, etc....  You get the
picture.
Anyway, we have decided to try and get them in our 2-hour bf class, so they
can see for themselves what we teach.  (Of course an added plus is to
hopefully educate them on certain things also!!)  If anyone has any
suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.  We start off with a truth
or myth game, then talk about milk production and anatomy and finish with
latch on, positioning, how often to nurse, hunger cues, signs that baby is
getting enough, when to call the doc and so forth.  I would like to talk a
little more about jaundice and not taking the baby off the breast.  We need
to do this in a delicate way without offending anyone.  I would love to hear
from anyone that has had a similar situation and how you handled it.

Thanks alot!

Judy Phillips