Breastfeeding Basics

While nursing her baby a friend of mine sighed "I wish someone would invent a portable one of these." I replied, "They did. It's called a bottle." And thus the age-old dilemma continues for new moms. To bottle or to breastfeed, that is the question. This comprehensive series presents a creative approach to educating parents about the benefits of breastfeeding their babies. Volume 1, The Breastfeeding Game, uses a game show format to separate facts from myths. Volume 2, Valerie's Diary, is a very thorough "how-to" primer for new moms, featuring 3D animation and covering every aspect imaginable. Volume 3, Straight Talk from Breastfeeding Moms sits in on a breastfeeding support group in which nursing mothers air their feelings and discuss their nursing experiences. Volume 4, Simple Solutions, addresses some of the problems encountered while breastfeeding and offers various solutions. This well done series, which also includes an excellent 29-page facilitator guide, seems to be aimed at the public library and home viewer audience, but I don't know of many new parents (or public libraries, for that matter) who could afford $500 for 90 minutes of video when the local La Leche league is just a free phone call away (the series does not go into enough medical detail for college level programs unless used as a component for patient education). Recommended, if your budget can handle it, and if you don't already own less expensive general programs or specific titles such as Dr. Jane Morton's Guide to Successful Breastfeeding (VL-5/95). Aud: C, P. (L. Stevens)