Thank you Sheila! I hope by more of us spreading this positive message that more mothers will not only be told of the joy of mothering through breastfeeding, but will actually see it, and know that it really is possible.. I am a strong advocate for our society including children. When I 1st discovered LLL 10 years ago, when my oldest was 2, I felt like I had come home. That was the first time I had felt welcome in a social setting with my child, and I did not leave him often, if ever. Peer counseling and LLL send a very positive message to moms that they can bring their babies with them, life can be lived well with a nursing baby, and bf works, but the baby needs to be with the counselor. Otherwise as someone already said, "Then just hire another nurse" (although I would argue, in many situations an employee could work just fine with baby in a sling, I am pretty sure the Sears's encouraged their office staff to bring babies to work, for
example).
Another reason this is important is because of all the negative info on bf. New moms hear how great it is, but hear the horror stories from friends and family. And if they read certain popular birth and baby books, breastfeeding sounds more painful than having the baby (I know, birth is positive as well!) They start out feeling they need a pump, are going to have sore, swollen breasts, bleeding nipples, may not make enough milk, and then get mastitis. Sheila is right, moms and our society feel bf is just something to get through. Haven't we all seen that sigh of relief when there is a "good" reason/excuse for bf to end? As much as possible, moms and our whole society need to see bf moms and babies, and most definitely at WIC with Peer Counselors.
Natalie Hessell
LLL Leader, CLC, former PC
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 21:24:21 -0500
From: sheila stubbs <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Peer Counselors and their babies -- and WIC
Wouldn't
the Peer Counselor be setting a poor example to her peers? If she
leaves her baby behind, the others are more likely to follow suit.
Some
of the most important lessons on mothering I learned were at my first
few La Leche League meetings, not because of the answers to my
questions, but from observing my peers - the experienced mothers -
relate to their babies. I distinctly remember watching, fascinated, as
the woman hosting the meeting put her baby in a front carrier and
proceeded to serve snacks to all of us. It had never occurred to me
that I could use my carrier while doing household chores! I'd been very
frustrated trying to get my baby to nap longer to get my chores done!
I noticed these mothers nursed very freely, without keeping track of
how long or how often baby nursed. I saw what gentle discipline looks
like.. And I became aware of how much they seemed to ENJOY their babies,
and I desired this wonderful relationship too! It was a delightful
contrast to the cultural view of breastfeeding as a difficult thing to
be tolerated as long as possible because it was healthy, but was
endured with as much enthusiasm as flossing one's teeth.
There
is so much to learn from watching peers, without any words being
spoken. I think it is ESSENTIAL for Peer counselors to have babies .
Sheila Stubbs
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