> Many Leaders are employed.   I believe that in earlier years working
> moms weren't considered for Leadership but they are now.  It sounds like
> a bias among the Leaders in that area.  That's very sad - who better to
> understand the needs of the mom who is pumping and has separation from
> her baby than someone who lives that life herself or has in the past?
> Very sad indeed.
>
> Margo
> LLL Leader
> employed outside the home 1 morning a week.
>

Working or not working is not (and has never been) the issue, generally. La 
Leche League holds as part of its philosophy that

"In the early years the baby has an intense need to be with his mother which 
is as basic as his need for food. "

Leaders are expected to demonstrate in their lives their belief in this 
statement (as well as the other parts of the philosophy). A mother who is 
working but who has made arrangements to keep her baby with her demonstrates 
an understanding and belief in this concept. Other situations where mother 
and baby are separated (whether because of work, school, volunteering or 
other reasons) are considered and discussed between the potential Leader and 
her supporting Leaders on an individual basis. So it may not have been a 
bias, it may have been the particular circumstances of that mother's work 
and separation experience.

I personally don't believe that it is necessary to have experienced every 
aspect of breastfeeding to be able to help a mother. I have helped mothers 
with Caesarean births, Down syndrome babies, Williams syndrome babies, 
premature babies, adopted babies, and many other situations and conditions 
despite never having experienced these things with my own children. I have 
also helped many women who experienced separation from their babies, even 
though mine were with me 24/7 during their early years.

Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario 

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