Memories from the 2003 LLLI Conference
Jane Tuttle
Kansas USA
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 20 No. 5, September-October 2003, pp. 166
Strength Through Diversity-Creating
One Breastfeeding World was the theme for the 18th La Leche League International
Conference held in San Francisco, California, USA on July 3-6. Being
part of the Conference was an affirming experience that celebrated all
stages of parenting. Our numbers at the Hilton Hotel totaled more than
3,000 including 1,216 children. Yet, attendance only tells part of the
story. Every person there had something to offer as we came together
to learn and share the wonder of breastfeeding and parenting.
Our personal goals for the
three days together may have been different; yet, our shared belief
that one breastfeeding world is attainable united us. We were relative
strangers who formed a breastfeeding community for these few days. There
were smiles of hello, smiles of encouragement, and smiles through exhaustion.
The maze of halls at the Hilton was filled with babies in slings, toddlers
in hand, and adults enjoying the wonder of it all. Sometimes, there
was music and one could not help but sing along to the familiar tunes.
It is hard to find adequate words to describe the diverse yet unified
breastfeeding community that we were for three days in San Francisco.
Our diversity was more than
the colors of our skin. Mothers from 42 countries attended the Conference.
Our diversity of mothering experience was apparent. The Conference attendees
represented the entire parenting continuum: from a mother pregnant with
her first child to great-grandmothers. The diversity of our LLL experiences
represented new members, new Leaders, and long time Leaders. This Conference
honored the LLL volunteers from newly accredited Leaders to seasoned
Leaders.
Opening Night
The opening night activities
were a celebration of parenting. As we filled the Grand Ballroom, uplifting
music was playing and a slide show from the 2001 Conference was shown.
Seeing the slides reminded the viewer of the excitement of that Conference
and foreshadowed the same for this Conference. Sheryl Scheubles of Hemet,
California, USA, explained, "Just being here brings tears to your
eyes-seeing people from all over the world and feeling the camaraderie."
The magic of an International Conference was contagious as many registrants
were veteran Conference attendees. Going once is not enough, according
to Cinnamon Welland from McLean, Virginia, USA. Attending one International
Conference makes you want to keep coming back for more.
The Ballroom filled with
families and the anticipation grew. There was a feeling of awe as six
of the Founders wove their way into the ballroom and onto the stage
for the opening. Mary White was unable to attend the Conference, but
she was there in spirit. The music changed, Marcia Lutostanski, chairperson
of the Board of Directors, called the Conference to attention and welcomed
the Parade of Nations.
This was not an ordinary
parade of nations! It was a parade of children often dressed in native
garb carrying signs for each country where LLL has a presence. A parade
of fathers who carried babies; a parade of mothers and grandmothers!
This was a parade that brought chills as we witnessed one breastfeeding
world. As Katie Young, 13, from California summed it up, "This
is fun!"
The main speaker for the
opening night was Dr. Marshall Rosenberg. Dr. Rosenberg's message was
one of parenting through nonviolent communication. His mixture of humor
and concrete examples proved to be a mesmerizing approach. As he donned
a pair of giraffe ears for part of his presentation, Dr. Rosenberg explained
that non-violent communication is the language of the heart. Because
the giraffe has the largest heart of any mammal, Dr. Rosenberg refers
to nonviolent communication as giraffe language and reminded us to always
use our giraffe ears. He also sang songs that capture the essence of
his relationships with his children. Laughter is also part of giraffe
language. Giraffe ears could be spotted throughout the Conference long
after Dr. Rosenberg put his pair away.
Some of his message can be
found in his publication Raising Children Compassionately and
his book, Non-Violent Communication. Parents need to connect with the beauty in one another
and to understand and meet their children's needs. When a child is in
a dangerous situation, Rosenberg suggests that the protective use of
force allows parents to control the environment that their children
are in and not control their children.
Dr. Rosenberg's speech paved
the way for three days of intense sharing and learning in a compassionate
environment. The first morning's general session was opened with another
parade. This parade, too, was special as it featured newly accredited
Leaders and Leaders with more than 20 years of experience. This parade
showcased the strength of LLL. The keynote address, given by Dr. Elisabet
Helsing, focused on the progress made in recent years toward increasing
rates of breastfeeding worldwide.
After the keynote, the concurrent
sessions began, the exhibit hall and bookstore opened, the activities
in the Alumnae Room started up, the Rock and Rest and Playrooms teemed
with activity, and the Tech Room became fully operational. While most
mothers come to an LLL Conference for the informational sessions, it
was the additional features of the Conference that gave it an energized
feeling. There was always activity in the halls. Operated by the Online
Communications Staff, the Tech Room was a hub of activity as selected
speakers participated in interactive chats via the Internet with people
who could not attend the Conference. Imagine being at home and being
able to ask questions of Dr. Thomas Hale, Peggy O'Mara, or Diana West!
Those in the Tech Room could follow the chats on a big screen. The Tech
Room was a buzz of activity as Conference participants moved in and
out.
Another hub of activity was
the Exhibit Hall. No Conference experience can be considered complete
without a tour of the Exhibit Hall and visiting with the many exhibitors.
The family friendly businesses filled the room with samples of their
wares and/or services. Many brought promotional items for distribution
and others held daily drawings. A Silent Auction was also available
in the Exhibit Hall.
The Bookstore occupied a
spacious area and featured the newest releases from LLLI as well as
many of the books from the LLLI Catalogue. Speakers' books were also
featured and those who enjoyed a session often rushed to the Bookstore
to buy a copy of a speaker's book so they could learn more. There were
authors' autograph sessions, where many shoppers added value to their
book purchases with an author's signature. Outside of the Bookstore
was the Lucy Shares Project, which allowed Leaders to make a request
for books and for shoppers to fill that request. To learn more about
Lucy Shares Program, see www.lalecheleague.org/donor/lucyshares.html.
Down the hall from the Bookstore
was the Alumnae Association's headquarters. Leaders of all ages stopped
by the room, as a unique anniversary Leader pin was available. Others
stopped by the room to attend some of the rejuvenation activities or
to make a quilt square for the Founders' Gift Quilt. The activities
in the room were varied and continuous and the atmosphere was most welcoming.
Enjoying the Luncheons
Each day's lunch brought
a new opportunity to share a meal with new friends and to hear a guest
speaker. Sitting at a table with nine others gave us an opportunity
to compare Conference experiences. Seated right across the table might
be Kathy Dove of Waco, Texas, a grandmother, or Kalee Tock of Mt. View,
California, an expectant mother and a first time Conference-goer. Lunch
was an opportunity to interact with people from all over the globe.
The first day's luncheon
speaker was Dr. Miriam Labbok of UNICEF. Dr. Labbok spoke about how
breastfeeding can help mothers all over the world obtain optimal spacing
of their children. Other women at the La Leche League Conference were
often introduced by mentioning their children. Labbok, who has no children,
said, "I am the mother of LAM." LAM is the lactational amenorrhea
method of child spacing. Labbok has helped make the world aware that
exclusive breastfeeding, on cue, with no supplementation with food or
artificial nipples, is as effective as hormonal birth control methods
for the first six months of a baby's life, providing mother's menstrual
period has not returned. In this talk, Labbok presented research that
indicates that a child spacing of three to five years appears optimal
for the health of mother and baby, even though many women in the US
and Europe have their children more closely spaced with no problems.
The second day's lunch gave
all Conference participants a preview of the US Government's initiative
to increase breastfeeding rates. Dr. Suzanne Haynes of the Office of
Women's Health introduced the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign
that will utilize the expertise of the well-known Ad Council. This three-year
plan will be available to all US media markets and promises to heighten
awareness of breastfeeding and encourage exclusive breastfeeding for
the first six months of a baby's life.
Following Dr. Haynes was
Dr. Lawrence Cohen, a psychologist from Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Cohen's
topic was playful parenting and his engaging delivery style-as well
as his content-had the audience in full attention. The benefits of play
for both parents and their children cannot be discounted. Active play
helps children gain confidence, develop mastery, and learn coping techniques
when things do not go as planned. He underscored the importance of playing
what children like to play and not what we want them to play. He explained
that when a parent refuses to play a game or activity that the child
loves, the parent sends an indirect message that the child's idea of
fun is unacceptable to the parent. Dr. Cohen suggested that parents
connect with children through play and that we take every opportunity
to play with our children.
The final luncheon speaker
was Anne-Marie Kern who shared images of breastfeeding. She presented
slides showing images of breastfeeding mothers throughout the history
of art.
Sessions and Activities
There were over 195 concurrent
sessions offered at the Conference. Ghia Johnson, of Covena, California
said, "The Conference just gets better and better. The Storytelling
session by Jim Weiss was so good." Later in the Conference, when
asked how she was keeping up with the pace of everything, Ghia responded
that she had so much information that she wanted to share with others.
"I can't say which session has been the best because I've learned
something in each one."
Theron Tock of Mt. Vernon,
California and his wife, Kalee, are expecting their first child and
attended an LLL Conference for the first time. Their introduction to
LLL was a full one! Theron heard the session, "Busy but Balanced,"
by Mimi Doe and was impressed by all the practical suggestions that
were offered as he knew things would change once the baby arrived. Kaylee
had just come from the "Thirty Day Gourmet" and was excited
to get home and try some of the cooking techniques that she heard.
Amy Macumber, Kernersville,
North Carolina enthusiastically recommended Peggy O'Mara's panel on
Teens. Leah Wilhjelm of Morrisville, Vermont found herself in many of
the Continuing Education offerings to absorb the technical information
about breastfeeding. Monica Tesone of Argentina found the Spanish interpreter
services at some of the sessions a real plus for her.
Cheryl Peachey-Stoner of
Hesston, Kansas said the entire Conference experience renewed and enthused
her. Elaine Shirron of Acton, Massachusetts summed up her Conference
experience with, "It was perfect to be in the midst of such wonderful
people." Cristina Eury of Gainesville, Florida enjoyed connecting
with other Spanish-speaking Leaders and building her vocabulary skills.
Yet, there was more to the
Conference than informational sessions. One of the beloved features
of the Conference was the World Faire. The Faire was an evening festival
where many Areas, countries, and LLL Divisions had displays and featured
items to sell or give away. Everyone entering the Faire received a passport
that was stamped at each display. It was hard to determine who had more
fun: those collecting the passport stamps or those stamping the passports.
There was entertainment for
all including a stilt walker, storytelling, and face painting. At the
Kansas table, one could get a bag of sunflower seeds; at the Great Britain
table, there were breastfeeding stickers; and at the Utah table were
logo pins in a beehive design. The LLLI office staff sold overstocked
items from previous events at bargain prices. The Faire was a mixture
of carnival and street vending! The evening ended with music from the
Disney movie Mary Poppins and many people spontaneously began to sing
the chorus of "Let's Go Fly a Kite." It was an evening to
delight the child in all of us.
An Afternoon with the Founders
The Afternoon Tea on July
4th was a special tribute to the Founders and recognition of Leaders
with 25 years of service. It was an elegant, child-friendly affair that
included a light meal of sandwiches with dainty pastry desserts. Each
person also received a commemorative hand fan as a souvenir.
During the tea, each Founder
shared her memory of a person who was significant in her life. In this
warm, intimate setting, the Founders brought both tears of laughter
and tears of sorrow. This was a true gift from each Founder to those
in the audience. Each also selected a favorite song that Frederick Scheff
and Welda Hoerz sang.
The Alumnae Award was given
to Barbara Nicholson and Lysa Parker, founders of Attachment Parenting
International. After the award presentation, the names of those Leaders
in attendance with 25 years or more service were read. It was heartwarming
to acknowledge these seasoned Leaders.
Framed gold certificates
were also presented to the Founders by a cross-section of LLL Great
Britain Leaders and members: a group mother, a brand new Leader, a long-standing
Leader, BOD member and several Directors, including the Chair of the
Council of Directors. The certificates read, "On behalf of many
grateful mothers, LLL Great Britain wishes to say thank you...for sharing
the joy of breastfeeding-you made a real difference."
The Tea ended with a memorial
presentation honoring Leaders who have died. The tea is a Conference
feature not to be missed as it celebrates our humanity as Leaders.
Lasting Memories
The Conference was not just
about babies and toddlers in slings. There were many teens at the Conference.
Some served on the Teen Staff where they performed various tasks for
the Conference staff. Other teens, such as Rachel Shirron, 15, of Acton,
Massachusetts, USA offered their services to harried mothers who needed
a Mother's Helper or a babysitter for a few hours. Toddlers, preschoolers,
and school-aged children were enchanted by the variety of playrooms.
The days of the Conference
were packed with information and activity. If one was in the hotel lobby
early, one could see the early morning walkers returning from their
walk with smiles and looking revived. Each day brought new registrants
who were eager to attend the sessions and easily got lost in the hotel.
The faces of many participants reflected fatigue and exhilaration at
the same time. It was easy to lose track of the days and even an American
could almost forget it was the Fourth of July, even though fireworks
could easily be seen from many rooms on the upper floors of the hotel.
The Conference Closing Session
was bittersweet because it signaled the end of a unique experience.
The children who learned a dance routine at Chance to Dance entertained
us. We were invited to attend the 2005 Conference in Washington, DC.
We were reminded that we can create a breastfeeding world and that our
strength comes from our diversity. The 2003 Conference memories will
last long after the fatigue fades. The invitation to attend an International
Conference is one that should always be accepted, as it is a magical
experience that defies words.
Last updated Tuesday, October 24, 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:29:42 UTC 2007.
