Curriculum Topic: Group Activity, Teaching Strategy, Educator Demonstration
Activity Type: Postpartum, Healthy Birth Practice 6
Purpose: Demonstrate what are the ingredients in both breastmilk and formula.
Time Needed: 5-10 minutes
Supplies: A laminated full-size printer poster of "Did You Ever Wonder What's in Breastmilk and Formula" (see Handouts below)
Small stool (optional)
Instructions:
- Ask the group, 'Did you ever wonder what all of the ingredients are in breastmilk?', and then discuss briefly.
- Beginning unrolling the poster slowly until fully unrolled. The unrolled poster will stretch well over five feet — the impact is huge! The list of what's in breastmilk seems endless compared to the much shorter list of ingredients in formula.
- Discuss what's in breastmilk, how we are learning new things every day, and how breastmilk even contains oligosaccharides whose sole purpose is to feed the newborn's gut bacteria and is not digestible by humans but rather consumed by the bacteria.
- Have a healthy, brief, and interesting discussion about some of the ingredients and then move on to how the body makes milk.
Set-Up:
Ask the tallest person in the class to come up to the front of the room or ask the shortest person to come up and have them stand on the step stool. Hand the volunteer the poster that has been specifically rolled up so that the top of the poster is on the "outside" of the roll. They hold it above their head, arms outstretched.
Talking Points:
Take Away
This is a highly impactive and short activity that clearly brings home the complex and valuable nature of breastmilk and all the myriad of ingredients. Seeing the entire poster unrolled gets a lot of oohs and ahhs from the classes. I find that the size of the poster is important. Seeing someone holding this above their head and having it come down to the floor is a big take-away.
Conclusion
The ingredients in breastmilk are so special and customized for each baby, and there are hundreds of components that make up breastmilk. This poster is an outstanding and effective way of sharing what is found in breastmilk versus formula. The visual impact is impactive, easy to share and will remain with the families long after the class is over. The poster is easy to transport and can be used anywhere.
LINK: https://www.lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/Post/series-brilliant-activities-for-birth-educators-whats-in-breastmilk-versus-formula
Modifications:
None
Reference: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
https://www.lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/Post/series-brilliant-activities-for-birth-educators-whats-in-breastmilk-versus-formula
*This poster was developed as a student project for the Breastfeeding Course for Health Care Providers, Douglas College, New Westminster, BC, Canada - by Cecily Hesle , Sherri Hedberg and Haley Rumble in 2007.
Download Handouts
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