Hi Dawn and all,
We have also struggled to meet the needs of employed mothers in our area. We host both a morning and evening La Leche League Series Meeting during the month, but many employed mothers are just too tired to make it to these meetings after a long day of working/pumping/driving/mothering/cleaning and cooking! (Wow, we are super moms!)
So, last January, in a collaborative venture with our hospital, we started our own type of Breastfeeding Cafe. We meet monthly, at a meeting room in the hospital, from the 12 - 1pm. And this is the best part, the hospital provides sandwiches, bottled water and brownies from a local sandwich shop, which are delivered to the hospital meeting room around noon. The hospital also advertises this Cafe internally and through community mailings. We (LLL Leaders) advertise it amongst our Group mothers.
As it is a collaborative venture, LLL Leaders lead a discussion topic while both Leaders and hospital lactation staff are available to answer mothers questions, one on one. Last month we talked about first foods, and in October we talked about the benefits of a nursing toddler. Last summer we had "The Art of Babywearing" fashion show, and even had some of the Leader's children model their own doll baby slings. I think we'll talk about LLLI's newly revised FAQ on teeth at December's Breastfeeding Cafe.
The hospital does a great job of advertising this venture to the pregnant/breastfeeding mothers on their staff and we are working to encourage other working moms within the community to drop in during the lunch hour for some breastfeeding support. Two really great things about this arrangement include the time slot and the free sandwiches. I always find a way, every month, to repeat the phrase, "a culture of breastfeeding", whether I am thanking mothers for attending, Leaders for staffing and the lactation team for taking time out of their busy rounds to come down and "socialize" with breastfeeding mothers. Creating a "culture of breastfeeding" is really what we are all striving for and hosting a Breastfeeding Cafe is another way to present that opportunity to our communities!
I hope this helps give you something to think about!
Take Care,
Michelle Swanson, LLLL
Wyoming
:-)
--- [log in to unmask] wrote:
From: Dawn Burke <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: anyone read "Milk Memos"?
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:38:26 -0500
Diana in NY wrote:
One way I described it once was this: even when I felt like I was giving my
job only 75% and my baby was only getting 75%...that still added up to 150%,
which was more than my physical, mental, and emotional health could sustain
for very long. And as a 100% kind of person, that 75% never felt good, on
either side...so I was always striving to do more in both places.
While I will always be a fierce advocate for human milk for human
babies...if I can discourage a mother from going back to work, I'll do it in
a heartbeat. I have a relatively easy (logistics), flexible situation and a
supportive partner, and it's still absolutely the most difficult thing I've
ever done, in every way.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And Lisa Kopecky talked about employed moms needing support for their decision.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've been lurking for a few weeks and thoroughly enjoying the
information and thoughtful discussions on LN. I just had to jump in
here, as I've BTDT too! I think Diana spoke very clearly to the
issues that employed breastfeeding moms deal with (every mom is a
working mom!)
I worked full-time and pumped milk for my daughter. Leaving her every
day was like tearing my heart out. By the time she was 6 months old I
was miserable. It took us another 2 years of working and saving and
downsizing our house until we were in a position for me to stay home
with her, and now her brother.
As an LLL Leader, I find it interesting to encourage breastfeeding in
a variety of situations, but ultimately it's all about the
breastfeeding and mothering at the breast. Like Diana, I always
encourage moms to find ways to stay with their babies for as long as
possible-- either staying home or taking extended maternity leave. On
the other hand, I encourage moms who have to or believe they have to
work, to continue breastfeeding, because that is priceless for
remaining connected with the baby. I believe that if we can keep mom
and baby together and nursing long enough, it gives the baby time to
work his/her magic on mom and she'll be more inclined to follow her
heart and the needs of her baby (or future babies). I believe
ongoing support is crucial for employed moms who are breastfeeding.
It can be hard to get them to come to meetings, though, because they
are already exhausted. I remember thinking some days that I would
just skip the monthly evening LLL meeting (which was a 40 minute
drive, one way), because I was just too tired. I was always glad
afterward that I went because it was so invigorating and empowering. I
had no support at work for pumping-- it happened because I insisted on
it. It's hard work just advocating for yourself all day every day, on
top of the other three full-time jobs working moms have (work, baby,
and being wife/homemaker).
This actually brings up a question I have-- I'd love to brainstorm
some ways to meet the ongoing needs of employed breastfeeding moms. I
think meeting with other moms who are in a similar situation is ideal;
the trick is to get them together consistently. I lead the only
evening meeting in my county specifically so employed moms can come,
but attendance by them is sporadic. I believe they think they just
don't have time and energy for it. Maybe weekend meetings would work.
Has anyone had experience with this? What other ways can we support
a breastfeeding relationship in employed moms?
I'll stop now before I ramble more...
Dawn Burke, LLLL
Georgia, USA
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