La Leche League International: Promoting Awareness for Breastfeeding

La Leche League For decades there has been a debate over whether or not women should be allowed to breast feed their infants in public. Breastfeeding is a significant activity in early development. Human breast milk contains essential nutrients and calories that are vital to the growth and health of children during the earliest stages of life. There are many organizations that have been formed to promote the awareness and necessity for breastfeeding. The most popular organization is the La Leche League International (LLLI).The La Leche League offers the women of the Valley the opportunity to join an international women’s organization and to better gain valuable insight on the history of breastfeeding and benefits that breastfeeding provides to both the mother and her infant. The La Leche League International is a non-profit organization that was founded by seven mothers (Mary White, Edwina Hearn Froehlich, Mary Ann Cahill, Betty Wagner Spandikow, Viola Brennan Lennon, Mary Ann Kerwin, and Marian Leonard Tompson) in the United States in 1956.The founders of the La Leche League hoped to help other mothers who wanted to breastfeed their children but found it difficult. The La Leche League offers information and encouragement (mainly through personal help and experience) to all mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. The La Leche League encourages breastfeeding from birth onwards with no upper age limit for the child. The idea for naming the ‘La Leche League' came from a statue in St. Augustine, Florida honoring â€Å"Nuestra Senora de la Leche y Buen Parto† which means â€Å"Our Lady of Milk and Good Childbirth†.When the La Leche League was found, the words â€Å"breastfeeding† and â€Å"pregnant† weren't readily accepted in society, so the Spanish word â€Å"La Leche† (which stands for â€Å"the milk†) was used as to not offend anyone in the society. In 2010, the League published the book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding which â€Å"is the most complete resource available for the breastfeeding mother. The book became a National Best-seller†. The La Leche League is active in 65 countries and territories; it reaches more than 300,000 mothers monthly through a network of over 7,000 accredited leaders (â€Å"Brief†).The La Leche League was founded to give information and encouragement, mainly through personal help, to all mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. While complementing the care of the physician and other health care professionals, it recognizes the unique importance of one mother helping another to perceive the needs of her child and to learn the best means of fulfilling those needs. It helps mothers who want to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and the mother (â€Å"LLLP†).The La Leche League believes that breastfeeding is best thing to do for the baby and the mother. It offers a unique bonding experience that fosters a nurturing relationship between mother-to-child. The La Leche League also believes that breastfeeding can deepen a mother's understanding of the responsibilities and rewards of her new role in the family. To be a member of the La Leche League it cost an annual fee of $25. Members are granted access to an international e-newsletter, a discount in their online store and special offers via email.The La Leche League believes mothers who are members of LLLI breastfeed longer because they have the information, education, support, and encouragement they need to enjoy the experience. Supporting Membership in LLLI is a real bargain when you consider the costs of not breastfeeding! The best way is to join is through a local group, so that funds will be available in your vicinity to help mothers and babies locally but members may opt to join online (â⠂¬Å"Benefits of LLL†). The closest center to our area is in McAllen, Texas.The McAllen group meets every third Tuesday of the month. All breastfeeding mothers and mothers-to-be interested in breastfeeding are welcome to attend any meeting or call one of the Leaders for breastfeeding help or information. Babies are always welcome at the meetings as well. La Leche League Leaders are experienced mothers who have breastfed their own babies and who have been trained and accredited by La Leche League International to help mothers and mothers-to-be with all aspects of breastfeeding.They are available by phone whenever you have breastfeeding questions or concerns. Interested candidates for membership can join LLLI locally in 65 different countries and territories or online virtually anywhere. Although the La Leche League is a non-profit organization, in 2009-2010 it received â€Å"$594,083 from membership dues, $485,035 from Publications, $382,680 from Contributions, $327,044 Royalty Income, $34,522 from Periodicals, $7,760 from Miscellaneous, $5,279 from Interest Income, and $650 from Workshop and seminar fees† (â€Å"LLLIO†).The most commonly issue with mothers breastfeeding is if it is acceptable public acceptance. While there are no recorded laws in the US forbidding breastfeeding outside of the home and only three states in which laws place any limitation on the way in which public breastfeeding may be done, it is often frowned upon by the public. A woman who breastfeeds in a privately owned place open to the public, such as a restaurant or shopping mall, might lawfully be asked to leave, either by the owner or in accordance with the owner’s instructions.State laws that protect public breastfeeding fall into three categories. Currently, the strongest state laws are those that both protect a woman's right to breastfeed anywhere she or her child have a right to be, regardless of whether the breast is showing, and that also give the woman the power to bring a legal action against anyone who interferes with her breastfeeding. Other state laws establish a woman's right to breastfeed in public, but don't provide a way for her to enforce this right.The third category specifies that the act of breastfeeding is not indecent exposure (sometimes given other names, but always referring to the exposure of body parts), and prevent a woman from being charged with a sex crime for breastfeeding. Most of the states in the United States do protected nursing but there are three states that have no law protecting nursing, which include West Virginia, Nebraska, and Idaho. As for the state of Texas there is a law that protects nursing in public but without an enforcement provision (â€Å"Public†).Aside from knowing the laws about breastfeeding in public, people need to educate themselves on the benefits of breastfeeding to the infant and the mother. â€Å"Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to ensure a baby’s health and development. It’s a convenient, cost-effective, natural way to feed your baby† (â€Å"Breastfeeding†). Breast milk has been found to provide the ideal balance of nutrients for optimal growth and development, and it is easily digestible by the baby.This is because the breast produces colostrum, which is thick, yellowish fluid that helps a newborn’s digestive system develop and function properly. Nursing can also prevent many common childhood illnesses as breast milk contains antibodies that pass from the mother to the baby for protection. This is called natural immunity, and studies have shown a decrease in both hospitalizations and pediatrician visits in babes that were breastfed by their mothers. Some of the common aliments that are decreased include bacterial meningitis, iarrhea, ear infections, and respiratory tract infections. Other, more server condition, such as sudden infant death syndrome and childhood leukemia, have been confirmed by research to have a reduced risk of development in babies who have been breastfeed (â€Å"Breastfeeding†). For premature infants, human milk significantly shortens that duration of their hospital stay, hastens brainstem maturation, and reduces the risk of life-threating diseases. A mother’s breast milk is unique in both its composition and function, and cannot currently be reproduced by other manmade substance.Even though there are a multitude of benefits for the baby, there are also many for the mother as well. Breastfeeding helps the uterus return back to its normal size and reduces post delivery bleeding after by releasing a hormone called Oxytocin. It also burns up to five hundred calories per day, which helps the mother shed the pounds gained during pregnancy in a natural way, and breastfeeding may reduce the rick of developing postpartum depression. Breastfeeding exclusively can delay the return of the menstrual cycle for twenty to thirty weeks.Not only does this help the mot her recover quickly after leaving the hospital, but also it is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. However, birth control is still suggested for preventative measures, and has not been found to have any adverse affect on the baby while breastfeeding. The most important benefit, however, is the bond developed between the baby and mother while breastfeeding, which helps to enhance emotional attachment between the two (â€Å"Benefits of â€Å"Breastfeeding†).The individual that I interviewed said that breastfeeding made her â€Å"fell closer to her baby and prideful that she could provide for her child† (Milligan). This physical contact also helps the baby to feel more secure and warm in their environment, and eases the transition out the womb. While breastfeeding, a baby gets skin-to-skin contact, ensuring a closer bond to their mother and helping the baby to feel more satisfied emotionally. Another great reason is that mothers can save thousands of dollars on hospit al visits and formal.Mothers can spend up to $500 each month for formula and up to $1500 for doctor visits, prescriptions, and hospital stays in the first year (â€Å"Benefits of LLL†) Since breastfeeding also results in a reduction in an infants illness, the mother will be able to take fewer sick days off from work. Although breastfeeding may seem scary or foreign, it is actually a very natural process to the body that will, with time, become both comfortable and natural for the mother.After weighing the multitude of benefits for the baby, society, and, the mother herself, breastfeeding is the best choice when it comes to feeding and caring for a baby in the most optimal way. That is why I believe mothers should to join the La Leche League to help promote breastfeeding in our community. Work Site â€Å"Benefits of Breastfeeding. † Natural Resources Defense Council. Natural Resources Defense Council. March 25, 2007. Web. April 2, 2012 â€Å"The Benefits of LLL Support ing Members. † La Leche League. La Leche League. June 6, 2011. Web.April 9, 2012 â€Å"A Brief History of La Leche League International. † La Leche League. La Leche League. October 14, 2007. Web. April 2, 2012 â€Å"Breastfeeding. † Healthy Women. Healthy Women. January 9, 2012. Web. April 10, 2012 â€Å"La Leche League International Operations. † La Lecha League. La Leache League. December 15, 2011. Web. April 9, 2012 â€Å"La Leche League Purpose. † La Leche League. La Leche League. October 14, 2007. Web. April 8, 2012 â€Å"Milligan, Alisha. † Personal Interview. April 8, 2012 â€Å"Public Breastfeeding Laws. † Mothering. Mothering. n. d . Web. April 10, 2012