Regarding the post discussing difficulties with LLL
returning phone calls, etc...

I understand your frustration with referring mothers
to LLL, and then not feeling confident that they
recieve the help you wanted for them.  I have had this
experience myself a few times, as an LC giving
referrals to LLL, doulas, etc, and it can be quite
frustrating.

I think part of the problem is that these kinds of
difficulties are just the nature of volunteer
orgainzations.  It is hard sometimes to remember that
all of the leaders in LLL are unpaid mothers who give
of their time and resources, (monitarily and
otherwise) to help this organization float.  No matter
how well trained, and no matter how well-intended the
volunteers, it is the nature of volunteer-based
organization to have some difficulties meeting the
demands of the public they serve.  Breastfeeding is a
paticularly difficult area for volunteers, as well,
since there is so much to combat, such as
misinformation, stereotypes, and the rest.

Also part of the nature of volunteer-based
organizations is that the people willing to give of
their time have other things going on in thier lives,
and breastfeeding is but a single issue in a life full
of children, school obligations, job obligations,
music lessons, layoffs, stepfamilies, soccer
practices, moving,  grandchildren, divorces, aging
parents and other pieces of life that get in the way
of volunteering.  So, many times volunteers are
over-extended.

I worked with the Names Project many years ago, and
this same phenomena was a problem-- people volunteered
for more than they could handle, or there weren't
enough volunteers to go around.

I work as an LC in St. Louis, and I have found the
solution to this problem is that I have gotten to know
a few key leaders in the many different areas that we
serve.  They knwo me and I know them, so I feel
confident that when I give a referral the mother will
have the resource promised to her.  I also try to give
the leader a head's up and call her to let her know
that I have reffered someone to her, and that she
might expect to recieve a call.

Maybe that will help you to solve your problem a bit,
and I hope you don't give up on LLL-- it is such a
wonderful organization, and they have done so much to
change breastfeeding all over the world.

Take care,
Rachael


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