Paying It Forward
“There are many people who have made me who I am today, but one special woman, a member of LLL Austria, has played a significant role in my life.
When I was pregnant with my second child, I had the honor of meeting Sylvia, and she completely changed my life for the better. She taught me how to breastfeed my children, and how to raise my children and be proud. She supported me when some of my family thought it was weird to breastfeed. She listened to me when I felt discouraged. My life has been much more stress free now that Sylvia has been a part of it!
I am now a member of LLL Austria, and I am trying to give back to the mothers in Salzburg by encouraging them and helping them realize how important it is to become a proud and stress-free mom. It is such an honor to be helping young mothers using all the help I have receivd from Sylvia! I hope I can impact someone's life just as much as she has mine.”
- Sabine Gabath, Salzburg, Austria
Breastfeeding a Baby with a Cleft Lip & Palate
“After successfully breastfeeding my first child until he self-weaned at the age of three, I found myself faced with a challenge when my second child was born with a unilateral cleft lip and a fully involved cleft palate.
As an LLL Leader myself, I knew it was possible to breastfeed children with cleft/lip palates, but I didn't know where to start. My friend, Cynthia, also an LLL Leader, came to see me in the hospital and spent at least an hour in the room with me, mainly listening to me cry and encouraging me not to lose heart. She was so invaluable to my commitment that my son, Tim, would be breastfed, even if that meant feeding him my milk in bottles specially made for babies with cleft lip/palates.
Cynthia helped me to secure an electric breast pump. In those pre-Internet days, she also found every bit of literature available on the subject and she continued to encourage me, telling me I was doing everything right. I hoped that Tim would be able to latch on after his first surgery when he was three months old, but unfortunately he was still unable to suck because of the open palate.
Tim became a soy-formula fed baby. Even though my outcome wasn't ideal, I know I did the best thing I could for my baby at the time. I also know I couldn't have gotten as far as I did without the support of LLL Leaders in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and those who had gone before, writing about their experiences in different LLL publications. Their support was invaluable and it made a huge difference in my life and in the life of my child.”
- Patty Rasmussen, Conyers, GA, USA
Harder Than I Expected...
“When I was 24 years old, I was happily married and pregnany with my first child. I was excited about childbirth and breastfeeding. I even knew one person breastfeeding, and she was breastfeeding six-month-old twins, so I thought breastfeeding would be easy for me. Wow, was I wrong!
By day four, at home with cracked nipples and a hungry baby, I broke down and realized I needed some help. I fumbled through all the hospital literature and found a brochure for a lactation consultant. I called her, and she talked me ‘off the ledge’ and also gave me the name of an LLL Leader in my neighborhood, Melissa, who was in training to be a lactation consultant.
Melissa invited me over right then, and with pillows, washcloths, and different latch techniques I could latch my baby on with less pain.
Currently, I am a full-time lactation consultant in Paoli, Pennsylvania, USA, and every day I get to give back the loving care and guidance given to me 17 years ago on Melissa's couch. Thank you to all who offer hands-on help and support to new moms!”
- Donna Sinnott, Wayne, PA, USA
LLL, A Welcoming Force
“Jill, my La Leche League Leader, taught me how to listen to myself and my children.
Breastfeeding, as we know, is so much more than nutrition. It is the foundation of a caring attitude toward the people we have chosen to bring into this world. What we can learn from being in contact with the gentle wisdom of another mother—a LLL Leader—is invaluable.
Of all the baby groups I had been to, La Leche League was so dramatically different. I was welcomed by another mother. Amidst all the furore of mothers and little children arriving at the meeting in a state of excitement to see each other again, Jill had taken the time to ensure that I, a new mother, would be made welcome.
I am eternally grateful for the personal contact with another mother, which helped me grow into the mother I have become.”
- Susan Stockwell, Poole, Great Britain
Watching Other Mothers: The Greatest Gift
“My neighbor invited me to my first LLL meeting one evening. I remember seeing mothers nursing their babies and toddlers and thinking I would not breastfeed for that long.
At the meeting, I found compassionate women who helped me to learn a gentle way of mothering my children. I would not be the mother I am today without their help. Watching other mothers in action was my greatest gift. The years have flown by and all my children are now adults in their own homes. I would not have changed anything in being a mother with La Leche League close by helping me fall in love with my children. Thank you for everything.”
- Debra Jeffrey, Rescue, CA, USA
Breaking with Tradition
“Before I
was involved with La Leche League, I was attacked by friends and
relatives who said, ‘Shame upon you, how can you still breastfeed the
child?’
I was
between the devil and the deep sea. On one hand I agreed with them
because at the institute they taught us that babies should be breastfed
for one year only, and on the othe hand, I saw how happy my daughter,
Helen, was when I breastfed her. Nobody supported me except for my LLL
Leader, Pia. She explained what breastfeeding meant for a toddler and a
mom. She heaved a load from off my heart. Apprehension and remose
vanished and I calmed down.”
- Maya Sartania, Tbilisi, Georgia
Questions I Didn't Know I Had
“Before my baby was born, I had no recollection of friends breastfeeiding or seeing mothers and babies breastfeeding in public. I am estranged from my family, so I had no mother or grandmother to ask. When I became pregnant, both prenatal courses touched on breastfeeding, and my thought was ‘Of course, why not?’ Very nonchalant.
I did read pregnancy and baby books, going over all the issues of breastfeeding. I had no idea about clogged ducts and poor latches, and it made my head spon, so I stopped reading about breastfeeding.
I had also subscribed to Mothering magaizine and this is where the real beauty of breastfeeding opened up to me. It brought a community of mothers who were breastfeeding to my door. mothering enlightened me to the ideas of extended nursing, child-led weaning, tandem nursing, and donating breast milk (I'm proud to say I did all four!).
I never saw other mothers nursing in public until my first LLL meeting, when my daughter was 8 months old. If someone would have told me to go to LLL while pregnant, I would have gone! The meetings opened up so many doors for me. I realized I did have many questions all along and did need the support. And, after much learning I realized I could offer support, too!
Another miraculous thing happened through breastfeeding: over the past three and a half years, I have been going on a healing journey that I might have missed out on.”
- Christie Voss, Coconut Creek, FL, USA
Cultural “Attachments”
“Growing up in South Africa, not once in my family did I ever hear a person make a negative comment about breastfeeding—it was part of growing up.
Having my first baby in State College, Pennsylvania, USA, a woman named Karen became my lifeline in an unfamiliar culture. In addition to being far from home, I was attempting to breastfeed my baby after breast reduction surgery. Karen helped me to breastfeed and she made it feel effortless. She helped me understand that my African way was normal, and that there was a name for it. ‘We call it attachment parenting,’ she said. My children and I will forever benefit from her support and encouragement.”
- Rochelle Williams, Hong Kong, China
My “Sister” Claudia
“I grew up with four younger brothers so being involved in La Leche
League gave me the 'sisters' I was missing, especially my friend
Claudia. Friendships like hers gave me the connection that every mother
needs.”
- Deborah Ruzicka, Hammonton, NJ, USA
“I had a ceserean and problems feeding my son, Emiliano. My neighbor
told me about Edith, a La Leche League Leader. Right away, her
counseling sounded logical, but after thinking about it, I realized she
had taught me something more than just how to breastfeed my son.”
-
Gabriela Magali Cardenas, Metepec, Mexico
Thanks, Mom!
“Although she did not breastfeed, my mother taught me the importance
of doing so. She is always looking for books about breastfeeding, and
whenever someone criticizes my decision to nurse, she is always in the
front line defending what is best for her grandson.”
- Jeannette
Cancel-Narváez, Ponce, Puerto Rico
“I wanted to try nursing my second child.... My husband gave me the
number of LLL Leader Rita. I have a very bad memory, but I will never
forget her phone number.”
- Laure Simon-Becker, Bettendorf, Luxembourg
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