Breastfeeders - please demonstrate at your local maternity antenatal classes

[whomovedmychocolate]

I am among a small group of women in my area who turns up on request to antenatal parentcraft classes to demonstrate breastfeeding. If no woman is available, either a video is shown or breastfeeding is demonstrated using a rubber baby and a woollen boob.

Having spoken to my LHA it turns out that most antenatal classes don't know of anyone who can volunteer to come along on a regular basis and they don't have time to search either.

If you have the time and can do this please contact your local maternity unit's director of midwifery and offer your help. It's not a big time commitment - for me it's once a month for an hour, but it really gives a chance for mums to be to get a realistic idea of what breastfeeding is like and to be reassured on the basics.

All the women I meet who were in my class (which featured the woolly booby) gave up by six weeks because they didn't know what to expect and assumed they didn't have enough milk when their babies seemed unsettled. . In retrospect they all regretted giving up.

[mrsmalumbas]

I'd do this but DD2 is 3 and will only breastfeed lying down, with her other hand firmly clutching the other boob. Do you think they'd provide a bed for us to lie on?!

Seriously, I used to teach antenatal classes and when DD was a baby I took her along as a "live model" - it was great, and the participants always really enjoyed it. It was a bit intimidating having 8 couples all watching me breastfeed, but it's sad that so many people never see it in real life. I never had before I had DD1 and I'm sure that was part of the reason I was unable to breastfeed her.

So yes - go forth and get yer norks out!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Oh yes, they will supply a bed if it's a hospital. I am chuckling at your DDs proprietorial hold on you!

They supply a pillow for me because that's how I started out feeding (and I'm quite long and my lap is a long way from my boobs - god bless decent bras!)

This all started because I complained that before I gave birth I'd never seen anyone breastfeed and a woolly tit just didn't help me (although looking at my soft squidgy boobs these days I can see a distinct resemblence ).

[mrsmalumbas]

You're lucky - sadly I am short of middle and large of nork so my breasts practically rest on my lap if I sit up - hence bf lying down being easier with large wriggling child! lol at woolly tit - I believe I have a knitted uterus somewhere in the house...

[mumzarello]

I'd love tod do this - dd is 8 months will jump at the chance to bf anywhere!! Live in oxfordshire - do they need more volunteers wmmc?