Hi Dawn!--and the rest of Lactnet--

I should introduce myself a little first:  I am a LLL Leader since
1991 and mother of two, ages 12 and 9.  I am a stay-at-home,
college-educated mom who has been trying to decide whether or not to
take the IBCLC exam for three years now, but my attention has lately
been needed elsewhere as I care for my ill and elderly mother-in-law at
home.  Besides LLL, I volunteer to organize playgroups and events for
young families in my town.  I also rent breast pumps.  I have been
subscribed to Lactnet for a few years, and recently came back from a
couple of years "nomail".  I admit, shamelessly, to being mostly a
lurker. . .!
The subject of community health practices and services working together
in support of breastfeeding moms is very much on my mind right now.  I
am fresh from a discouraging meeting of our local breastfeeding
coalition.
Isn't it curious how a little geography can make so much difference?  We
are not that far from you, Dawn, in VT, as you know, but your community
is miles ahead of ours in terms of support for breastfeeding and family
centered maternity care.  Would you like to come to talk with our
coalition at our next meeting in March (Friday the 12th at noon)?
Really!
Until the start of our coalition five years ago, there was one very
helpful LPN at the hospital, and LLL was the only community service at
work to help moms with breastfeeding. Now, WIC is quite active (has
sponsored the first breast pump rental program in Vermont), and the
area Maternal-Child Health team is beginning to take some steps toward
discerning how breastfeeding competent their rns should be.
I'm mainly ppeved because some of the services represented in our
coalition seem not to be appropriately referring mothers for help
according to the mother's needs and our areas of expertise.  Example:
LLL meetings as a ready resource for prenatal breastfeeding
education--there is no breastfeeding ed component in prenatal classes
here, which are monopolized by the vna in cooperation with the hospital.
Another example is I get mothers referred to me all the time who are
looking for breast pumps, but the same referral sources hardly ever
refer moms to LLL for help.  In fact, the hospital can't seem to keep
the correct LLL phone number on hand. This is so, and yet I hear from
moms who've been through a gauntlet of ineffectual breastfeeding help
starting from day one in the hospital sometimes, and who tell me that I
am their "last resort."  Whoa, I don't want to be a last resort.
I have to count the blessings, I think, though in my frustration, they
sometimes seem few and far between.
Like yours, I think our coalition is helping us to learn who are allies
are, even if we don't have members who seem in a position to begin to
effect change as potently as yours are.  And some of the members have
begun to communicate to pool information that can help a particular
mother. Wow, having written that, I feel infinitely more optimistic!
Dawn, you used the wonderful term "tag-team" and mentioned several
elements that work together, such as a strong community leader who is
also a LLL Leader (and who also is on the hospital board of trustees!),
other active LLL Leaders (you and the other terrific LLLLs down there
then and now), nurses who are inspired to offer more knowledgeable help,
happy mothers who let the hospital administration know why (so
important), and a hospital ready to make changes.
I think the stars are in the right place for you all down there in
southern Vermont, Dawn!  Thank you for reminding me that one person
can't do it all, and that working to include one more person one deed at
a time is how it works.
LLL is certainly not the only way breastfeeding mothers could get help
here, and my feeling is denfinitely "the more the merrier."  I want to
hear that more of our area health professionals are telling moms that
LLL is a good resource, but I don't thing that there is a strong sense
of wanting to share and truly work together, yet.  I am not sure if
these are "territorial" issues or if most people just don't know that
moms need breastfeeding help.  I feel nuts when I try to figure it out,
but less nuts having read your post, Dawn and worked through some of my
feelings as I write this.

Wanting to stay aware that the stars are bright here in my Vermont sky,
too,

Diane, LLLL in Vermont