Dear Readers

Dear Readers,

The end of this very unusual year is approaching, a year that we will remember very well and that maybe some of us wish we could delete from the calendar. 

On the other hand, this year has also shown us the great resilience, strength, and ability which reside deep inside ourselves.

As Caroline Herman reminds us in her article “The Legacy of Persistence”, an intense and emotional story of grief and hope, taking one small thing at a time and continuing to love is what matters most.

Loving can make us stronger, but it can also lead us to lower all our defenses, like when we hold our newborns for the first time. It’s what La Leche League (LLL) calls “Softening into Motherhood”, which Naomi Stadlen explores in her article by sharing the experiences of the mothers attending an LLL meeting.

While today’s breastfeeding families can count on a wide support network, in the early twentieth century, this wasn’t an option. Sarah Johnson tells us about it in her article “Rooting Around: How a Nation Found Its Way Back to Breastfeeding”, taking us on a journey through time that saw the foundation of La Leche League and the first steps towards the spread of breastfeeding culture in the USA.

A legacy that La Leche League has continued to pass on over the years, as Zion Tankard tells us in “Breastfeeding throughout Generations”. From her household to an LLL meeting, she found her own way to nurse and raise her twins; and today she continues to support the LLL mission through her role as La Leche League International Executive Director.

When we love what we do, we’re capable of great things! As we learn through the words of Norma O. Escobar in her article, “How Being an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Has Become My Dream Job”. La Leche League offered her a safe nest, where she found trust and support, empowering her to become the mother she wanted to be and able to make bold choices.

I hope this issue of Breastfeeding Today will be a reminder that, even after difficult moments, new beginnings can be there waiting for us.

Enjoy your reading!