Breastfeeding Workshop

[OMC1]

Hi all, just a quick question - my midwife has booked me onto a breastfeeding workshop at the hospital, but a few people have told me not to bother. It's 7pm til 9:30pm, so will be a knackering evening for me (I'm usually in bed by 9!) and I'm just wondering whether its worth it?

Does anybody have any experience? Is it worth going, or will I be able to get all the info I need once baby is here?

Thanks!

We had a workshop as part of my ante-natal classes but to be honest it did see, a bit pointless. It was useful to know the theory of positioning but hands on support with the real baby was what actually helped. The workshop involved bizarre messing about with dolls and knitted woollen breasts, perhaps I was in a particularly daft and immature group but none of us could really take it seriously. There may be better versions of it though...

The one I attended was great. I suppose they all vary and the quality depends on the content and the person taking the class. I had a terrible antenatal class at the same hospital where the midwife taking it acted out giving birth and being the midwife at the same time which involved a lot of heavy breathing as mum to be and pretending to feel her cervix as midwife to see how much it was dilated. It just looked like she was playing with herself and getting more and more aroused as she went on. It was hilarious and excruciating to watch all at the same time. A friend who attended the same classes a few weeks later had a different midwife and thought it was great so it could be that you could be lucky and get a different class from what others with a not so good experience attended.

7-9.30 does seem a bit late. At that length though I'd imagine there would be a break so you could go and see what you thought then make your excuses at the break if it's not for you?

You definitely learn 'on the job'. But if it not straightforward for you, then when you are knickers, bleeding, sore, have a screaming, fussing hungry baby and the midwives are too busy to get to you, you will r glad of any knowledge you have been able to get beforehand

I went to one at Kingston. I gave birth on Tuesday and have found it really helpful especially as my DP came along so he's been able to help when we've struggled with the latch. I'd go

I went to an NCT one last time which was pretty useless, and I then had a really hard time bf. This time my mw has recommended the hospital one - it's at Kingston so I'm glad to hear that Luna (and congrats!). If nothing else I see it as a chance to find out what support is available in the hospital - last time I was way too accepting and didn't ask for enough help, in the end it took a month to diagnose tongue tie

It might be worth going to but I think the main thing you need to do is find your local support group before you give birth!

Real life feeding support was the only thing that helped me.

I would recommend going but as others have said it must vary on quality. They way I saw it was that even if I learned nothing from it at least I wouldn't wonder what I missed. It turned out to be really interesting and useful ( though the baby's not arrived yet) and covered feeding cues, checking for correct latch etc x