Within days of us moving to Pittsburgh I had a lactation consultant from the Health Department come to our house for a home visit. I had seen LOTS of lactation consultants in Ohio but the were all very focused on the milk and the technicalities of it all and I think what they missed was how desperately I wanted to succeed.
Jeremy and I discussed that this visit, being on a Friday, was our last try. We'd give it the weekend and after that I would exclusively pump for Owen with some peace of mind in knowing I did everything I could. Her name was Becky and as she brought out her scale and sat down next to me on our couch she said, "He nurses beautifully." I burst into tears and told her how he screams impatienlty. She told me to have faith, to cut out the bottles and let him nurse and sleep on me all weekend. She told me I was a good Mama and she had faith in us.
Owen never took a bottle again after that day.
That same week I went to my first LLL meeting. It was down the street from our apartment and I walked that familiar walk month after month. I listened as other women shared their stories and I watched them mother with a confidence I so badly wanted. Those women were my first friends here in Pittsburgh.
When Owen was around 18 months old I was asked to be a leader. I had been reading and writing about nursing so much it felt like the perfect time. My candidacy was announced at our annural meeting and when I walked into the room to watch other women take their oath/candle ceremony --- there was Becky leading them.
Becky who came to my house and taught me how to mother my child at the breast was a veteran La Leche Leader. I burst into tears upon seeing her again.
After over a year of study and mentorship, I began leading meetings here in Pittsburgh in January. On April 27, 2013 I lit my candle indoctrinating me into a group that has been helping women nurse their babies for over fifty years.
Recently, I received this email from a Mama:
I
just wanted to follow-up with you since our phone call on Thursday. I've tried
to incorporate a lot of your suggestions and baby is nursing MUCH
better! I (fingers crossed) think we're on our way to getting
back on track with breastfeeding! I cannot thank you enough for the insight and advice you gave me -
just having an understanding of what is going on with him has helped me
immensely. I felt so lost and frustrated last week and now I truly feel
more confident and hopeful- Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I am so happy to support any woman who wishes to nurse her baby. Supporting other women has helped to heal my heart and my involvement with LLL has forever changed me as a woman and mother.
Me and my co-leaders after my candle cermony
