A Dream for the Future
Ingrid G.
Scotland UK
From NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 18 No. 4 July-August 2001, p. 132-133
Before I became a breastfeeding
mother, and before I joined La Leche League and learned about the wisdom
of mothering, I didn't know how fulfilling it is to be an at-home mother.
I didn't know much about breastfeeding and didn't dare trust or even
listen to my instincts. I am forever grateful to LLL mothers for sharing
their timeless wisdom and experience with me. They inspired me to become
an LLL Leader, which allows me to help other mothers experience the
joy of breastfeeding their babies. This has been one of the best things
I have done in my life.
Now I'm in the process of
setting up a Group and if I'm honest, I must admit it's more difficult
than I thought. I've often felt disheartened and felt like giving up.
I've thought a lot about why it is so difficult, talked to my co-Leader
and a loyal Group member about it, and the main reasons that we've come
up with for the difficulties encountered are: low attendance at Group
meetings and lack of positive publicity. We live in a culture where
bottle-feeding is the norm and I often feel as though I'm swimming against
the stream. A lot of the time I feel I'm simply not getting enough support
from area health professionals at promoting the LLL Group to mothers.
I know there are so many mothers out there who need our help and who
don't get accurate information from health professionals. Adding to
this is the pressure from friends and relatives who all mean well. This
left me wondering what would happen if our country (Scotland) or even
Europe went through a major environmental crisis, like a fuel crisis.
Our knowledge would become absolutely crucial during these times because
every mother would need to breastfeed. I can't help dreaming of a society
where breastfeeding is the norm and mothers can feel comfortable feeding
their babies anytime, anywhere. Does it sound achievable?
I was breastfed for only
two weeks by my mother because she thought she didn't have enough milk.
When I recently read my father's memoirs I found that he gratefully
wrote about how much of a blessing formula was for my mother. Her grandmother
in Germany sent the formula to her, as there wasn't any available in
Romania where I was born. Even in such an "old-fashioned" place and
time, there was not enough knowledge and support about breastfeeding.
I remember feeling a mixture of anger, disbelief, and regret when I
read this. Although I can understand that my mother did her best under
the circumstances, I find it hard to understand how easy it was for
her to doubt her body's ability to produce milk to feed her baby.
I am so proud to be an LLL
Leader and if my mother lived closer (she lives in Germany), I would
have more opportunities to let her see a successful breastfeeding relationship.
I wonder how many generations it will take to change our culture. I
know I've got La Leche League's strength and support behind me, which
keeps me going. I know I can play a part in shaping the future and making
my dream come true!
Last updated 11/17/06 by jlm.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:29:52 UTC 2007.
