"Antenatal Class Curriculum"

I attended the community antenatal classes run by the WACHS midwifery team in Broome. The class that particularly stood out to me was Session 3, which focused on breastfeeding. The session included information about how to breastfeed, positioning, and recognising hunger cues. Unfortunately, I experienced a complicated birth which meant that breastfeeding was not an option for me or my baby. At no point during my pregnancy or the antenatal classes was I advised or educated by health professionals about alternative feeding options such as pumping, mixed feeding, or formula feeding. I felt strongly that I was led to believe breastfeeding was the only appropriate option for myself and my baby. When this was no longer possible, I felt completely incompetent and worthless as a mother. This experience contributed to significant postnatal depression, for which I am still receiving support.

I strongly believe that if I had received education and information throughout my pregnancy — particularly during the antenatal classes — about all types of infant feeding, I would not have been so disappointed or distressed when breastfeeding did not work out for me and my baby. I felt the information provided had a strong bias towards breastfeeding, and I was not educated about how health conditions or traumatic births can impact milk production until after I had given birth, when the hospital midwives explained this to me as I was struggling to breastfeed.

Although my midwifery team was fantastic and I am very grateful for their emotional support during my postpartum period, I wish I had received more inclusive education about all feeding options. I hope this feedback will be taken into consideration and lead to amendments to the antenatal class curriculum to ensure future parents receive more comprehensive and supportive information.