Breastfeeding and Working--An International Perspective
Rebecca Magalhães
LLLI Director, Action and Development
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 38 No. 2, April-May 2002, pp. 42-43.
A few years ago, I read the
following quote “A good idea has no age: only a future.” It was said
by Frederico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO and printed in 1995.
That quote really struck a chord with me and I put it on the bulletin
board in my office. One of the goals of the LLLI Action and Development
Department is to be on the lookout for potential opportunities and new
ideas.
In October of 1999, LLLI received an email from Jennifer Hicks,
an expectant mother and graduate student in journalism with a focus
in global health. Jennifer explained that she would be working on a
master’s project—something she hoped would make a positive impact. Further,
she said that she felt strongly about women’s health issues and breastfeeding
and wanted this project to benefit LLLI. As Director of the Action and
Development Department, her email ended up in my inbox.
Immediately,
I thought of an idea that had surfaced years before and proposed it
to Jennifer. The idea was to publish a book on the experiences of women
from around the world who are breastfeeding or have breastfed—a kind
of educational “coffee-table” book. Jennifer loved the idea and in consultation
with others in La Leche League, decided that the focus of the book would
be “breastfeeding and working around the world.”
After much hard work,
Jennifer has graduated and successfully completed her master’s thesis
on the development and publication of this book. In the meantime, she
gave birth to her son and became a breastfeeding mother herself. Jennifer
is continuing to volunteer her time working with LLLI staff to implement
this project. If adequate funding is raised through grants and individual
donors, LLLI will develop and publish this book, which will depict employed
mothers from around the world who are committed to doing whatever is
necessary to breastfeed and nurture their babies in the best way possible.
This project is in keeping with the tradition of learning through individual
women’s experiences; a tradition that has been so important to LLL from
its beginning. The seven Founders of LLL knew instinctively that people
learn best by example. They shared their personal trials and triumphs
to help each other with mothering and breastfeeding. They did what thousands
of Leaders and members now do daily around the globe through meetings,
phone calls, chat boards, articles, and books. In addition to information
and support, LLLI offers a “place” where mothers can come together to
celebrate the quirks and joys unique to the breastfeeding relationship.
Description of the Project
The book is intended to demonstrate that
breastfeeding is possible for employed mothers, no matter their economic
status, type of employment, or where they live. Through photographs
and personal narratives, the book will feature mothers from six continents
who are breastfeeding or have breastfed their children. The photographs
will emphasize varied cultures and environments, and together with the
narratives, will illustrate that employment and breastfeeding can be
accomplished in a variety of real-life situations. A featured mother
could be a nurse in India, a business tycoon in Brazil, a rural worker
in Zimbabwe, or a jewelry maker in the USA. The common bond is that
all of these women have been motivated to continue breastfeeding and
to find innovative solutions to breastfeed their children when employed.
Some are finding work they can do at home, while others may need to
work in the physical place of their employment.
Why Now, Why LLLI?
Projections
show that by the year 2010, 70 percent of all women will work outside
of the home. Employed lactating mothers all over the world face challenges.
In some countries women are given little or no time for maternity leave,
making it difficult to establish a breastfeeding relationship. In the
United States it is not uncommon for a mother not to receive a paid
maternity leave and often she must struggle to maintain her milk supply
once she has returned to work. It is urgent to change the negative environment
surrounding breastfeeding for employed mothers. In spite of these obstacles,
many women are still reaping the physical and emotional benefits of
breastfeeding, and LLLI would like to share their stories.
What does
the book mean for Leaders and members?
The book will boost LLLI’s efforts
in several ways. A percentage of the profits from the sales of the book
will be returned to LLL entities in the countries directly involved
in producing the book. Featured mothers will send an inspiring and empowering
message: Employed women can breastfeed their babies. The book will serve
as a bridge to introduce more women to the joys of breastfeeding and
the beauty of an organization like LLLI. LLL has always learned from
women who practice breastfeeding, as this book will demonstrate.
A Tool
for Networking with Other Organizations
This book can help thousands
while strengthening LLL’s network. The book can serve as a tool that
will open ties with organizations that have the potential to promote
breastfeeding on a broad scale. For instance, complimentary copies may
be available so that any LLL Area can request a copy to be placed in
the local obstetrician’s waiting room. It would be important to make
the book available at national physicians’ conferences. It may also
be offered to college and university department chairs in fields such
as public health and anthropology. It may be sent to the ministries
of health and labor in many countries. The book can also open dialogue
between LLL Groups and local companies that are not currently breastfeeding-friendly.
What Can You Do To Help?
This project, a joint effort between the Action
and Development Department, the Funding Development Department, and
the Publications Department, will be counting on the assistance of LLL
Leaders and Groups around the world. The goal is to secure enough outside
funding to be able to distribute copies of the book to various individuals,
organizations, and government and health entities. To this end, LLLI
has sent out requests for funding to potential donors and foundations
and is currently implementing a mailing to selected individuals and
celebrities. LLLI has received donations from Lands’ End and Kodak for
this project. You can help by donating to the project (more information
is on the Advocacy Page of the LLLI Web site at www.lalecheleague.org/advocacy.
html) or by sending in names of potential donors or funding sources
to:
Sharon Bell-Wilson
Director, Funding Development Department
Email:
SBell-Wilson at llli.org
Phone: 847-519-7730, ext. 240
OR
Rebecca Magalhães
Director, Action and Development Department
Email: RMagalhaes at llli.org
Phone: 847-519-7730, ext. 260
957 N. Plum Grove Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173-5194
USA
The lesson I learned from this project is that ideas really don’t
have an age—only a future!
Rebecca Magalhães, a Leader
since March, 1977, is the director of the LLLI Action and Development
Department, as well as the grandmother of 10 breastfed and breastfeeding
grandchildren. Her grandchildren (4 boys and 6 girls) range in age from
9 years of age to 1 year old. Jennifer Hicks lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan,
USA with her husband, Bill, and 18-month-old son, Elliot. She teaches
a writing class at Davenport University and enjoys taking walks and
picking blueberries with her family in their spare time.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:18 UTC 2007.
