La Leche League - anyone? (breastfeeding group)

[cats7494]

I went to my first La Leche League meeting last night and was very happy to find the other moms and the leaders to be very friendly and supportive.

What has been your experience with La Leche League? Are you a member? For those who are not familier with LLL, it is a breastfeeding group.

 

[beckmrk04]

I'm not a member (no kids yet) but dh and I plan on ttc soon and I am going to start going to meetings before I actually give birth. I'm nervous about the breastfeeding aspect more than anything and I'm excited to have that extra support/knowledge.

Glad you had a good experience!!

 

[mannasn]

LOVE it! Not a member, mainly because I was never able to attend meetings on a regular basis (the "local" ones were still 35 miles from home and during daytime hours - not so great for a working mom). The few times I was able to go to meetings, it was a great experience for me. I did visit the website and the "virtual" meetings more often, and actually made phone calls to the leaders on more than one occasion.

I breastfed my youngest son until he was nearly 3. Is it okay for me to admit that here without being shunned and/or ridiculed? LOL

 

[cats7494]

LOVE it! Not a member, mainly because I was never able to attend meetings on a regular basis (the "local" ones were still 35 miles from home and during daytime hours - not so great for a working mom). The few times I was able to go to meetings, it was a great experience for me. I did visit the website and the "virtual" meetings more often, and actually made phone calls to the leaders on more than one occasion.

I breastfed my youngest son until he was nearly 3. Is it okay for me to admit that here without being shunned and/or ridiculed? LOL

Good for you! I would hope that it is ok for you to admit that!
I have to say that until I was actually breastfeeding did I fully understand and appreciate the importance of it! I was on the fence about breastfeeding at first...but now I am so for it! (if you are able to do it)
I was not able to breastfeed my dd12 - she was a very early premie and I did not have enough milk for her.

 

[mtemm]

I was never a member but I did have a wonderful experience with a leader after I had the twins. I had no issues bf'g my son, but when the twins came along I had nothing but problems. I did everything I knew to do and everything L.C.'s advised, and still had issues. a LLL leader actually came to my house and sat with me and tried to help. She was wonderful, even though nothing ended up working (supply issues, I just couldn't produce, which was odd because I could have fed the world with my production with my son). It actually helped because she was able to reassure me about supplementing. I hated every ounce of formula that went into the twins, but she really helped me see it as a godsend and a necessity, and helped me to see that I was doing all that I could and sometimes that isn't enough.

 

[GEM]

I'm a LLL member and I love our group! We have such a fun bunch of moms and great littlle ones, too. These are NOT the extremist breastfeeding jungle women that so many people like to talk about still nursing their 15 year olds or whatever. They're just normal women - stay at home moms, teachers, banktellers, waitresses, lawyers, etc. It's a very diversere group!

It's wonderful, not only for the breastfeeding support and info - but also just for the chance to get out and be with a bunch of cool women for an hour or so a month. (Plus, we have snacks!) Even now that Paul is older and I don't really need any support or info myself, I love going and sharing what I know to help other moms!

Anyway, I'll go even further out on the limb than you, mannasn, and admit that I'm happily still nursing my little guy who turns 3 in two weeks - and he doens't show any signs of being ready to stop totally. He mostly only nurses once (sometimes twice) a day now, and not for very long at a time - usually when he first wakes up.

He was only 1lb and 7oz at birth and spent 3 months in the NICU, so keeping my milk supply up and teaching him to nurse was hard work. I certainly don't mind if he keeps it up a bit longer!

It's the best.

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

I think it's great that you've found support and friendship when you need it!

I nursed all 4 of my kids, and thought it was a wonderful experience. I had trouble with the first one, and found help from a lactation consultant in my pediatricians office as well as one employed by the hospital.

La Leche was not something I ever participated in, mainly because of their meeting schedule that didn't work for me, and unfortunately, because of my first experience talking to a member on the phone. This was 21 years ago, and the person I was put in contact with was one of those 'extremist' ones.
We had a nice conversation for a while, but whether it was intentional or not, she made me feel very guilty that I was returning to work part-time. I was curious about pumping and how to get my DD used to a bottle a few times a week, and apparently that was not the thing to ask!

Looking back, I should have probably not let the first person color my idea of La Leche so negatively, but ya know how it is when you're a first time mom with a new little baby and so unsure of everything....at least I didn't let that discourage me from breastfeeding, because it was wonderful for me and the babies. I nursed all of them until about 18 months.

Good luck to you, and congrats on the new little one!

 

[golfgal]

I BF'd all my kids and found that LLL was a little over the top for my liking. With DS13 I didn't have any issues so didn't "need" support. With the twins the hospital had the most wonderful lactation consultant and she was wonderful. She came to my house several times to check up on the twins and me and was able to answer any questions I had. She actually had me become a resource person for other moms of twins that were having nursing/twin issues and I really enjoyed doing that.

 

[mickeyboat]

I never consulted LLL, mainly because I was so turned off by the lactation consultant at the hospital. I wish I had thought to see if another perspective would have been helpful.

Also, when I needed the support the most (5-6 months into nursing), and was having supply issues, I felt like I wasn't a candidate for that kind of assistance any more.

If I had it to do all over again, I would definitely have contacted them.

Denae

 

[PaulaSue]

I never offically joined but I was a member for many years and still go now and then for parties, etc.

(emma is helping me type)

I went while prego with my first and I was freaked out with an older (4-5) child nursing during the meeting. It took my 2nd DD for me to actuually go back and then I felt I fit better and made a lot of great friends who we still hang out often even with our children grown and in school.

Go with an open mind, our saying is "take what you like and leave what you like". I have seen all types of BF there over the years from ones who will not nurse in public, even at a LLL meeting to whom nurse their almost 5 years olds every where, even at the mall and parties with "outsiders''

I am proud to say I nursed my 3 girls a total of 52 months.

 

[cats7494]

I am glad to see others enjoyed it as well. I was a little nervous about attending the meeting too - I did not know what to expect, but they were the nicest group of women and very diverse too. Some SAHM's some working moms - some part timer's...
It felt nice being welcomed!

 

[poohandwendy]

I was only involved with LLL when my eldest was a baby (19 years ago), I sort of was uncomfortable with the group. Many were very nice, but there were enough really militant types that I sort of ended up backing away from it. I mean, it just seemed that the topic always turned into "this is the only way' and judgement of others who did things differently than a few of the 'stronger personalities' there. Not my style.

But, I got what I needed from it, some great tips on BFing (infant care) and some time out of the house with the baby...when I desperately needed it, LOL.

I know my experience was only due to the specific people involved and does not represent LLL as a whole. I really didn't feel the need when my other 2 kids were born, mainly because I was super busy, had other adult outlets and was a BFing veteran.

Glad to hear you found a group that you really enjoy, that is awesome!