My private breastfeeding classes offer practical knowledge to breastfeed your baby. Many classes give overviews or the social history of breastfeeding but never actually tell you how to do it. In our private class, we cut right to specifics: frequency and duration of feeds, latch – what’s normal and what are signs of problems, the importance of spinal alignment for mother and baby, engorgement, nighttime feeding, special techniques for bottlefeeding a breastfed baby when mother returns to work, how to determine that baby is getting enough milk, nutrition for breastfeeding, avoiding baby allergies, blocked ducts, and how to set up a pumping schedule to save milk for returning to work without disrupting your supply. Together, you and your partner will practice all breastfeeding positions so that you are comfortable and knowledgeable and know why you would use each one. During class, we will explore the truths and myths about fertility while nursing as well as touch on issues surrounding weaning.
Breastfeeding class is incorporated into my birth doula package, but if you decide to forgo doula services, as an option, I often recommend that mothers take my breastfeeding class in tandem with a birth plan class to get all the benefits of my prenatal doula visits and to be best prepared for birth and babycare. Breastfeeding and birth plan classes are totally customized to your specific situation. There are times when some mothers will know what their challenges will be in advance. If a mom, for example, has had breast-reduction surgery, she can plan ahead to prepare for possible low supply issues. We may spend a significant part of our breastfeeding class tackling this issue for her because it is unique to her situation.
You can expect that our private breastfeeding and birth plan classes will go into more depth on these issues than a group childbirth class or group breastfeeding class will. It will not be necessary to do both private and group classes.