What was your first meeting like?
What was the spark that kept you coming back?
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Anita
Roehrs, Aiken South Carolina USA:
Although I retired years ago, I never quit sharing my
knowlege and love for La Leche League and breastfeeding.
In fact I have two sons who know are MD's and I have encouraged
them to use LLL with their patients. My oldest, Matthew
is a family physician. He is married and has one son who
just turned a year old. He is still breastfeeding. My
second son, Philip is a resident in pediatrics heading
to Cincinnatti, Ohio next year for Hematology/Oncology
Fellowship. My daughter, Miriam who turns 25 this month
is married and has Degrees in Special Education and Elementary
Education. She loves the challenges of teaching. I look
forward to more grandchildren. There are many of mothers
that were at the very first meeting in Danville that are
still best friends. One mother present with her son that
night ended up rooming with my 2nd son in college. The
ties have bonded us closely even though we are miles apart!
Susan
Waterman, Maryland USA: My first memory
of a nursing baby was when I was 17. My friend had a sister
in law who was attending LLL and nursing a toddler. We
thought her "strange". Five years later,(1978)
I gave birth to my first child, Becky, who I knew I was
going to nurse. Sore nipples, colic, sleepless nights.
When Becky was 8 months old a friend and I attended our
first LLL meeting...it was wonderful. Now the pieces of
the puzzle I could not finish began to fit together and
Becky and I became a nursing pair. I could now sleep with
my baby without guilt, I could nurse "on request"
and know it was okay. I have a picture taken of Becky
that first meeting. Children playing happily with mom's
nearby. Nursing to calm a busy toddler or fill an infants
hungry tummy. Somehow I knew LLL would have an impact
on my life and I needed to record that night. Fast forward
4 more children. I became a leader in 1991. Now to 2005,
planning to attend my first LLL conference in DC and have
the honor of helping with the Alumnae Association.
Ellen
Helms, Maryland USA: My oldest child, Rebekah,
was about eight months old and I went for a couple reasons:
we had recently moved and I needed to find some like-minded
people who I hoped wouldn't think me strange for nursing my
baby when she wanted to, not "letting" her cry herself
to sleep, OR actually SLEEPing with her! Did I find the right
group or what?!?!? I was hooked that first night and kept
coming back for nearly 20 years, 17 of them as a Leader. Rebekah
(now 23 and married) was later joined by Emily (18.5) and
Michael (16), all breastfed until they weaned on their own.
All through the years, what kept me involved was that wisdom
admonishing us to listen to our hearts and our child! and
that doesn't end, no matter what age they are!
What I also remember so clearly from that first night and many meetings later on was that I didn't bring Rebekah because she was sleeping at home with her father, lying on his chest when he'd fallen asleep watching TV...as much as we talked about being with our babies and attachement parenting, there was so much respect for that recognition of our children's needs! I finally DID bring a picture of her just so other mother's could see what she looked like and then when her own inner rhythm changed, I actually brought her! But what loving acceptance and respect for knowing my child! I've rarely encountered that anywhere else.
And not surprisingly, it's "League"-type parents who still respect the way I parent my children NOW, such as when I don't push one of them to get her driver's license because she doesn't feel ready. The rest of the world is saying "you need to push her, make her get it, don't drive her places"...when she's ready :)
Carol
Meredith, Maryland USA: Though it was common to breastfeed in England where
I had grown up, I had problems breastfeeding my first
child. My doctor suggested that I bind my breasts, stop drinking
for a while, and resign myself to having a bottle-fed baby.
Two months later, my sister-in-law had a baby and went to
a LLL meeting where she heard that I could have continued
to breastfeed if I had been given the correct information
and had some support. She talked me into going with her
to the next meeting.
I instantly felt at home there and I eagerly took in all the
information I could remember. Half-way through the meeting,
my baby started to get hungry. I went to the kitchen, filled
her bottle up with warm tap water and shook up the powdered
skim milk. As I gave her the bottle, no one made any comment
about what I was doing, no one gave me any concerned looks,
no one questioned me. I felt perfectly comfortable and accepted
there. Good enough to want to go back the following month.
That was 33 years ago and I went on to have three more
children who were all breastfed. I hope that this experience
helped me to accept the mothers who came to my meetings when
I became a Leader myself.
Janet Jendron, South Carolina,
USA: I had my first baby, a three month old
daughter Kathleen. I had been through colic and realized that
I needed to change pediatricians because my doctor was insisting
I start solids and I didn't agree with that advice. I called
La Leche League (recommended by Adele Davis in Let's Have
Healthy Children). Carol Deretchin, my first Leader,
recommended several good physicians and invited me to a meeting
at her house. I felt I had "come home." Finally
I found people who agreed with my chosen style of mothering,
which was reinforced only by my mother (who bottlefed!). I
remember seeing a three year old nursing and thought it strange,
but I was fascinated at the acceptance shown at the meeting.
One new mother mentioned "using the breast as a pacifier"
as if that were a mistake. I thought, "I've been doing
that! Is is wrong?" I notice that nobody at the meeting
criticised or disagreed with her comments and I thought "What
an accepting atmosphere this is!" We had just moved,
I had quit my job, and I was thrilled to find friends in La
Leche League. Carol Deretchin, that first Leader, is still
one of my best friends. She has profounding impacted my mothering
and my approach to people.
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