Judi -

I didn't explain my Walking Wounded Group better because I'd done so
earlier on lactnet.  Just to recap:  Although I give every client a $
off coupon for a League membership and encourage her to go to
meetings, sometimes it's just way too long to wait, sometimes there's
a language or cultural barrier, sometimes there's a barrier of
perception (either "I wouldn't like them" or "I don't need them").
Every so often I have a "clump" of moms who I know could lean on one
another.  So instead of/in addition to LLL, I have them come to my
house.  Usually after a couple weeks of this, they're cohesive enough
to keep meeting without me.  But at the first meeting, sometimes
they're too strung out even to cross the room for a glass of water.
Fun to watch them pull together.

In my last group, one weaned but continues to pump.  One has a token
nursing once a day and continues to pump.  The other 3 are nursing
exclusively and easily and with great joy.  And they all continue to
meet as a playgroup, although 1 or 2 also joined LLL.  Interestingly,
I haven't heard *one word* from the fully nursing moms about the
variations in feeding within the group.  I do think the level of
understanding is higher among women who came close to the brink
themselves.

As for the name... that's my private name for the group, and it's easy
shorthand when talking to other bfing specialists, but to them I just
call it "a gathering".

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL  Ithaca, NY

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