Being Part of an LLL Group
Carolina Conti
Mar del Plata Argentina
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 21 No. 5, September-October 2004, p. 184
I started attending LLL
meetings when I was pregnant. Now, my son is a year-and-a-half and I
still go to every meeting.
I want to help other breastfeeding
mothers, and being part of an LLL Group has proven to be a vital resource.
My mother is a Group Leader, and by helping her, I have naturally become
involved with the work of the Group. There are many things to do: every
month we email mothers, we make some calls to the local radio and tv
station, and we organize the meeting place. We have raised money for
the Group by selling products and coordinating a raffle with donated
items. When the meeting date arrives, I welcome mothers, actively participate
in the discussion, and help with the Library. By doing all these things
I have learned many aspects of running a Group.
Being involved in an LLL
Group has also helped me grow as a mother. It was through LLL meetings
that I clearly perceived LLL philosophy. Respect, empathy, tenderness,
support, and information are present in every meeting. I have observed
what mother-to-mother help is: mothers sharing experiences, laughing
and crying together, and discovering that the same things have happened
to other mothers. I have learned from what Leaders and mothers have
said about different topics, problems, solutions, and answers. These
discussions have started my ongoing reading and questioning other ideas
on breastfeeding and mothering.
Every month, new mothers
come to our meetings. The first time they are often on their own. Later,
they may invite other women to come with-sisters, grandmothers, cousins,
and friends. To me, LLL meetings are like a great snowball: they can
start out small but have the potential to get bigger and bigger.
Mothers attend for many different
reasons, but all are looking for the same thing: the best start in life
for their babies. It is during these meetings that I can share my enthusiasm
for breastfeeding and listen to different perspectives. Joining an LLL
Group has given me the opportunity to really live LLL spirit.
Yes, at the beginning of
my motherhood journey, meetings were important to me because I needed
support and encouragement from other mothers. Now, meetings are important
to me because I feel the need to be a source of support and encouragement
to new mothers.
Last updated Tuesday, October 24, 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:16 UTC 2007.
