La Leche League

During the next few weeks, I plan to do a spotlight on the various breastfeeding support agencies, both in the UK, and abroad. If you would like to have your support network spotlighted, please send me some blurb, and illustrations. First up is... La Leche League GB. "La Leche" is Spanish for "The Milk"!

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La Leche League aims to help mothers 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 mother.
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Founded in 1956 by a group of seven mothers in the USA, La Leche League (LLL) today has more than 3,000 groups meeting in 62 countries, with over 8,000 accredited Leaders (breastfeeding counsellors) worldwide.

Leaders accredited by LLL are mothers who have breastfed for 12 months or longer and who believe in LLL's philosophy of mothering, which centres on the baby’s needs. All Leaders are trained in breastfeeding management, counselling and group management skills.

At its inception, LLL was a pioneer of self-help and peer support, and its mother-to-mother breastfeeding help has been at the heart of LLL’s work ever since. Local groups have been offering support and information to women in England, Scotland and Wales since the late 1960s. Currently there are close to 80 groups meeting around Great Britain. Within their local communities, Leaders help breastfeeding mothers at meetings, by telephone, in person and by email. Many local LLL groups are involved in other breastfeeding initiatives and Leaders often work locally with health professionals.

Working at grassroots level, LLL groups have behind them the resources from a repository of the world's most complete and up-to-date information on breastfeeding.

LLLGB publishes leaflets and information sheets covering many breastfeeding subjects useful to both mothers and health professionals. Breastfeeding Matters is the charity's flagship magazine. It publishes bi-monthly and contains...

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- articles by mothers sharing their own personal breastfeeding experience
- help from La Leche League, the recognised source of the world’s most complete and up-to-date information on breastfeeding.
- tips on parenting, stories in the news, breasfteeding research and publications
-beautiful illustrations with photos and cartoons every issue
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To see these and other resources, including books published by La Leche League International (LLLI), visit:

http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/

Help for individual mothers is free of charge, and you do not have to join in order to either ask for help, or attend meetings. The National Helpline 0845 120 2918 connects mothers directly to an accredited Leader, while the organisation's website includes an online help form to which an individual Leader responds to help each mother directly with her particular concerns.

LLL believes that every mother is the expert on her individual child and is best placed to make her own parenting decisions. Mothers are so often bombarded by conflicting advice and LLL encourages them to follow their instincts. While seeking to dispel the myths surrounding breastfeeding and to replace them with facts, LLL is respectful and supportive of mothers' differing choices.

Women expecting a baby, new mothers, experienced mothers, those struggling to breastfeed, women enjoying breastfeeding, those wanting to wean or mothers interested in supporting other mothers to breastfeed ... all who approach LLL will be supported in their decision to breastfeed.

UK Phone Number For Immediate Breastfeeding Support:

0845 120 2918

UK Online Support

La Leche League International: Support Menu Page

Join LLLGB and subscribe to Breastfeeding Matters At only £20 for an annual subscription (£12 unwaged), it’s a must for breastfeeding and pregnant mums as well as anyone who is helping them, health professionals, friends and relatives. Individual issues can be purchased here.

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