Support for mums on breastfeeding littlies
Big Latch On: La Leche League offering information and options
Breastfeeding has often been described as the most natural thing in the world but for many mothers that is not the case. International breastfeeding support group La Leche League (LLL) has been providing information and support for breastfeeding mothers around the world since it first began in 1956 in Franklin Park, Illinois. The group proved popular and reached New Zealand in the early 1960s. By the end of 1965, New Zealand had its first three accredited league leaders, all mothers who had breastfed their own children and were trained to facilitate group discussions on the art of breastfeeding, and to provide one-to-one help for mothers.
LLL has been active on and off over the years in Hawke’s Bay and the most recent group began in 2016 when leader Renata Lander picked up and read LLL’s The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding when her eldest baby was four months old.
“It kept referring to contact your local LLL leader/group and after some searching I realised there was no Hawke’s Bay group,” Renata says.
So she contacted the next closet group in Palmerston North, went to a meeting and then signed up to become a leader.
After 18 months and then pregnant with baby number two, Renata had trained as a leader, receiving her leader badge at the LLLNZ conference in 2016 where LLL founder Marion Thompson presented it to her.
Renata says they have more than 20 contacts and inquiries each month via social media, email and phone, with a regular group of between six and 10 mums attending monthly meetings, with the main purpose to support a person’s breastfeeding journey.
“E tautoko ana i to¯ ara wha¯ ngote. It’s about peer-to-peer breastfeeding and lactation support, advocating and information for breastfeeding within health spaces.”
She says mums returning to paid work has seen groups stopping and starting over the years.
“They are often unable to commit to volunteer roles such as LLL. It can be challenging building community links and strengthening as a bicultural organisation within Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Breastfeeding rates have increased over the past 10 years, with a significant drop off at six weeks as the mother transitions from LMC/ midwife to Well Child services, then again around four to six months as mums return to work, Renata says.
“Although breastfeeding and working with a young baby is very possible with support and correct information alongside employers being aware of what they have to provide to mums returning from parental leave.”
Renata says the common myth that breastfeeding is easy and natural is that it’s easy and natural like walking, rather than like breathing.
“Also there’s at least two people learning. It’s a dance, there might be a few painful parts, a few frustrating parts but once sorted it is beautiful.”
Another common misconception, she believes, is that a certain “type of parent” are involved with LLL.
“But we are just parents who have breastfed or are breastfeeding our babies — different cultures, religions, races, family situations and we welcome all whanau.
“We do focus on being responsive parents, responsive feeding on cue, responsive to crying, responsive to starting solids, responsive to mums needs, responsive to how dads/ partners/grandparents can help with breastfeeding, etc. We don’t offer “advice” — eg. do it like this — we offer information and options.”
Feedback from parents having contact with LLL is full of gratitude.
“Lots of thank you for reassuring mums they are on the right track, lots
Renata Lander
of ‘yay, we did it’ by using info we provide for overcoming a challenge. There’s lots of thank you for knowing they aren’t the only ones going through a situation.”
And it’s not just mums going along to meetings or making inquiries.
“We do get dads either coming to meetings or contacting us on behalf, and they seem to enjoy knowing that we have accurate information,” Renata says.
Having that information available to anyone needing it is vital to the organisation and the leader pathway. Becoming a LLL leader, who can run meetings and provide information to those making inquiries, is a bit like doing a short online course, Renata adds.
“We have a local LLL leader mentor and a tutor that liaises with the leader applicant. There is a prerequisite that a leader applicant