If you believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, you’re not alone, evidence the success of YouTube and MySpace. Personally, I prefer a good book over a good video. I was among the mothers who placed time restrictions on their children’s video game playing and refused to sign-up for cable television. I unashamedly paid my children to read books (any books) and feel vindicated by the fact that my child who most resisted reading is now a writer with a master’s degree in journalism.

However, videos (like books) serve a purpose. Which brings me to the reason for this post, a newly released video—Breastfeeding: You Can Do It! It’s the latest in a crowded field of videos designed to show parents how to breastfeed their babies. And I’m not exaggerating when I say ‘crowded’. According to Google, there are 520,000 sites that offer breastfeeding videos.

Breastfeeding: You Can Do It! produced by LA Publishing has four sections ranging in length from 2-18 minutes—You Can Do It!, Getting Started, Frequently Asked Questions, and Self Attachment. The navigation bar located at the bottom of the screen allows viewers to choose either English or Spanish, switch from one segment to another, and pause, fast forward, or rewind. The video footage is clear, crisp, and professional, with lots of close-up views—a sharp contrast to other how and why to videos on the market. One of the outstanding features of Breastfeeding: You Can Do It! is the ethnic diversity of the mothers, fathers, and babies featured in the video—it was especially nice to see lots of dads!

If parents view the entire video from start to finish, they will find that many of the same images are used in each segment. This may be less of a concern if the segments are viewed separately. The information is well-organized within each segment, and the audio portion is scripted by a professional speaker. While this insures that all the information deemed important is clearly communicated, some parents may prefer the audio treatment found in To Baby With Love/The Comfortable Latch by the Texas Department of State Health Services, which includes scripted portions along with personal comments from parents and health professionals featured in the video.

Frequently Asked Questions, the longest segment, covers a wide range of topics, from family support to weaning. The questions that feature dads and grandparents were among my favorites. Along with the video segment, “Getting Enough” which includes wonderful footage of a baby breastfeeding. The discussion of the signs of dehydration—He acts limp or sick, He has dark urine, His mouth or lips are dry, and The soft spot on the top of his head sink in—might be somewhat difficult for all parents to easily identify. But this is a small concern given the video’s overall quality.

For a cost of $3 to $10 depending upon packaging and quantity purchased, Breastfeeding: You Can Do It! is a wonderful addition to an expectant or new parent’s video library.

All a mother truly needs to breastfeed is a breast and a baby, but a video can help her figure out how to connect the two together!

In the end, experience is the best teacher.