Resource of the Week: La Leche League

If you decide to breastfeed for any amount of time, you will want to be aware of the resources provided by La Leche League. Their goal is to help parents reach their nursing goals, and they provide several ways to access this support. First, the website provides extensive information and articles that may be enough to answer your questions. Start here to search for these resources, or simply Google “La Leche League” with your question or topic. We also highlighted their book, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, in our post of five top pregnancy resources. If you’re looking for breastfeeding community or more personalized support for your unique situation, you have several options, discussed below.

Finding Your Local Chapter and the Resources They Provide

To take advantage of this individualized advice, check this locator page if you are in the USA, or this one for worldwide support. In our area, there is a Facebook page for the group, with information about upcoming meetings as well as the opportunity to ask questions to the leaders and other parents. The free monthly meetings generally focus on a certain topic, but are open to any questions you have. This is a great place to find community and encouragement from other parents who are breastfeeding!

This community can be so beneficial while figuring out breastfeeding, especially if you don’t have a mother, sister, or friend who is knowledgeable about it. Sometimes you just need to know that you aren’t the only one experiencing a certain struggle, or you need a small tweak to try. If you feel isolated or alone in navigating the breastfeeding journey, it will likely be difficult to continue! And this support doesn’t end when you are weeks postpartum and starting to get the hang of nursing. You can find answers to questions all the way through weaning your baby, whenever that happens for you. You may have a smooth nursing journey with your first, but struggle with your second baby – La Leche League can help!

Personalized Support

Personally, we think the best part of the organization is the ability to access personalized advice at any time from the La Leche League leaders. These local chapter leaders are trained parent volunteers (who have usually breastfed multiple babies of their own), who are available to offer support and information. You can reach out to them, even if this is your first contact with La Leche League, via phone call or email, and they are happy to help you free of charge!

During your breastfeeding journey, you will probably encounter a variety of situations that you don’t know how to navigate. While lactation consultants are another beneficial resource, La Leche League support can be perfect for situations where you have questions like “How do I navigate breastfeeding when going back to work after maternity leave?” and “What can I expect if I am breastfeeding while pregnant?” Maybe you’re struggling with your baby’s sleep and need some new ideas or a reassurance that it is normal. Maybe you’re wondering how and when to introduce a bottle or pacifier to a breastfed baby. All of these questions (and more) would be great to ask at a meeting, to a leader, or to learn about on the La Leche League website.

The more resources you have in your toolkit for breastfeeding, the better! Bookmark La Leche League (and join your local chapter) and reach out to them when you need support.