Anne Lisse Taboada, LLLRPA (France)
For the past few years I have been offering this special meeting to celebrate LLLI’s anniversary (60th/65th) by celebrating the recognition of every nursing story. As part of the meeting plan (see below), I also take the opportunity to talk about La Leche League. I talk about Leaders’ work and the philosophy of La Leche League, which is what gives the organization its essence. This meeting has been well received and has also been the motivation for two mothers to become Leaders.
Meeting plan for the LLLI anniversary year
The idea is to pay tribute to LLLI by celebrating breastfeeding through each mother’s journey. The topic is “What does breastfeeding mean to you?” I prepare questions and each attendee takes one out of a box and answers in one sentence. The questions are about each mother’s own experience and vision about breastfeeding and their own journey. I ask participants to give me permission to use their answers in memes for our Facebook page.
I want to:
- Show the individuality of each person’s story.
- Show how each of us lives, feels and grows through our breastfeeding journey.
- Show that there are many ways to experience lactation.
- Show how LLL welcomes every story and every breastfeeding adventure globally.
These are the questions:
- How did you find La Leche League?
- What has La Leche League given you?
- What did you expect from your first La Leche League meeting? How did it go?
- What do you like to see at La Leche League meetings?
- How did you manage to organize your time when your baby arrived? For preparing meals, having a shower, housework, etc…
- What is your favourite source of breastfeeding information?
- Who brought you the most support during your lactation journey(s)?
- What did you wish you knew about breastfeeding before the baby arrived?
- What surprised you most about lactation?
- What helped you to live your breastfeeding experience serenely? Or what’s stopping you?
- In what context would you have liked to receive more information and/or support? (Health professionals? Families? Friends? Work place? Society in general, etc.?)
- Share an anecdote about your nursing history.
- What tip could you share for traveling with baby? (whether by train, plane, bus or car).
- How did you experience breastfeeding in public places?
- Have you had any criticism of breastfeeding? How did you handle these situations?
- What has been most helpful for you as a nursing parent? (information, support/family/entourage, health professional, LLL meetings, LLL support, etc…).
- What would you have liked to hear from health professionals about breastfeeding? Or share an example of receiving positive support from a health professional.
- What do you think is missing in our health system or wider society to encourage and support lactation?
- What was your idea of breastfeeding before living it?
- What did you expect from nursing? Was the reality the same or different?
- What tip could you share with us to rest with a newborn?
- What tip could you share for dealing with the return to work/study while breastfeeding?
- What tip could you share for widening your diet?
- What tip could you share with us for weaning?
- What tip could you share for life with a new baby?
- What tip could you share to recognize effective suckling?
- How would you describe the influence of breastfeeding in your parenting experience?
Congratulations to LLL on its 65th anniversary and to all its Leaders!
Anne Lisse Taboada is Bolivian, she has lived in France since 2010. Anne Lisse met LLL in Bolivia and was accredited there. Anne Lisse has two children, has been a Leader since 2012 and has been a member of the Leader Accreditation Department for six years.