Kathy said: You have to always keep in the forefront of your mind that the specific individual you are talking to may or may not fit the 'pattern' that has been described for their particular group. AMEN!!! Every time I see a course offered in my office that says "come learn about what Mexicans or Vietnamese or Russians or xxx believe,"...it "raises my hackles". I believe the best way to learn what a mom believes or thinks is to ASK her! She may have family traditions that are based on family history, education, socio-economic group, etc. As long as we communicate an accepting tone and manner, they will let us know! Learning lists of what is "hot and cold" food for the Mexicans vs the Asians doesn't help if her mother taught her differently! (Does everyone know the story of the mom who cut the ham end off...who asked her mother why...who asked HER mother why...who learned this was because Grandma's pan was too small for a full ham?) Generally I hear that "Hispanics" believe such and such...as a Puerto Rican, I can tell you that what I learned and was taught is very different from Mexicans from the northern part of Mexico, from the Coast, from the East or central indian villages and from the southern areas...and very different from Argentinians. I speak fluent Spanish...but don't know these differences. I ask the mom what her mom has told her she should eat, or how/what her baby should be fed, or where he/she should sleep, etc. Then I ask her what she thinks...and we go on from there. If her beliefs will not be dangerous or detrimental, we just discuss how interesting these differences are and go on. If they ARE dangerous (sleeping on the stomach in an overheated room with 3 blankets, for example, which I do find very often), I explain why we now know new information, and how we have learned it. Often grandma is present and also willing to learn. (I will never forget the side-lying twins I found in a home - they were so cute I asked permission and took a picture of them. After discussing the situation, grandma herself placed them on their back - then insisted I take ANOTHER picture with them placed correctly!) We learn from the mothers we meet - one of the biggest reasons for the long hours of preparation for the IBCLC exam. No book can teach us this! ________________________________________ Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC Vacaville, CA _______________________________________________________ What have you done to support breastfeeding today? Que hiciste hoy para apoyar la lactancia? *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html