LLL: The joining of the sisterhood

My nephew, Aiden

      “We were born in captivity.” This is a quote from Gini Baker I often heard throughout my Lactation Education class.  Unfortunately, this is the truth.  In the early 1950’s, breastfeeding rates dropped to nearly 20%.  The introduction of cow’s milk to infants was being used instead of a mother’s milk.    The idea for Le Leche League was born during a family picnic in July of 1956.  Mary White and her friend found comfort in the fact that they were providing their babies with adequate nutrition without having to worry about cleaning bottles and heating formula.  Their feeding choice of breastfeeding provided a convenient supply and demand feeding system readily available to their infants at all times.  Mary and her friend decided that it would be beneficial for their community if they started a group dedicated to supporting and encouraging breastfeeding in new mothers.  From this small idea, blossomed an organization dedicated to educating mothers worldwide! 

                On March 17, 2011, I attended my first La Leche League meeting in Sacramento.  During the 18 months that I breastfed my daughter, I never attended one of these meetings and I now wish I had.  The class began at around 10am.  Sybil, the leader, provided a snack of bagels as she unloaded multiple books and resources bursting with breastfeeding information.  To begin the class, we all introduced ourselves.  I was thankful for the wonderful welcome I received when I explained that I was pursing my Lactation Education qualification and to hopefully someday be certified as a Lactation Consultant.  It seems that there is an overwhelming need for more individuals willing to devote time in educating and supporting these mothers.  They are all so grateful!

Aiden - "Where is my boob?"

                The passion that these women possess is overwhelming.  Out of the ten women present at the meeting, three were pregnant.  Four out of the seven mothers were Tandem Breastfeeding, which means they were providing nutrition to a toddler and infant.  It was amazing to see the patience and passion in these moms when both children wanted to latch on at the same time. 

Once brief introductions were made, Sybil asked if there were any concerns that the mothers wished to address during the meeting.  After she wrote a couple on the board, the conversations took off.  The three mothers who were nursing just one child expressed similar concerns when it came to latch, gassiness in the baby, returning to work, and positioning.  All of the mothers were eager to offer recommendations for each of the concerns.  Sybill was able to interject and clarify information that might need more explaining.

                One particular new mom,  Samantha*, expressed her lack of confidence in her breastfeeding and mothering abilities.  Her baby boy was 5 ½ weeks old.  He seemed to be doing very well.  I would conclude that she lacked a lot of support from her family when it came to her breastfeeding efforts.   I felt the great love and concern that poured out from the other mothers.  They offered advice to her concerns about latch, positioning, pumping, and returning back to work.   Each mom had something a little different to offer.  I was able to make recommendations on pumping and returning to work while others were a bit better at explaining positioning and latch options.  When the meeting concluded around 11:30am, Samantha walked out with her head held a little higher and a smile on her face.  

                Having the privilege to be a part of a breastfeeding community is such an honor.  These women are strong-minded, patient, loving women all doing their best at providing their babies with the most precious gift of all.  Breastfeeding is a proactive healthy choice for a newborn.  Having the peace of mind that your infant will be at a lower risk for heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, and could possibly have a higher intelligence level is very empowering.  I admire these women and I look forward to being able to offer my experiences and knowledge to the breastfeeding community.

* Names have been changed to protect privacy