La Leche League Paper Got An "A"

The scope and function of the La Leche League (LLL)

The La Leche League International is an international non-profit organization (Wikipedia) that was found by seven mothers (LLLGB) in the United States in 1956 (Wikipedia). The founders of the La Leche League hoped to help other mothers who wanted to breastfeed their children but had difficulties (LLLGB). La Leche League gives information and encouragement (mainly through personal help and experience) to all mothers who want to breastfeed their babies (LLLI). The La Leche League encourages breastfeeding from birth onwards with no upper age limit for the child (Wikipedia).

The idea for naming the Ð''La Leche League' came from a statue in St. Augustine, Florida honoring "Nuestra Senora de la Leche y Buen Parto" (LLLI). When the La Leche League was found, the words "breastfeeding" and "pregnant" weren't readily accepted in society, so the Spanish word "La Leche" (which stands for "the milk") was used to not offend anyone

in the society (LLLI). The La Leche League is active in 65 countries and territories; it reaches more than 300,000 mothers monthly through a network of over 7,000 accredited leaders (LLLI).

The mission of the La Leche League is to help mothers who want 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 the mother (LLLGB). The La Leche League believes that breastfeeding is best thing to do for the baby and the mother both and is the best way to start off a good mother-to-child relationship (LLLI). The La Leche League also believes that breastfeeding can deepen a mother's understanding of the responsibilities and rewards of her new role in the family (LLLI).

The La Leche League holds regular group meetings to help provide support for pregnant mothers and those who have recently entered motherhood (LLLI). The La Leche League also provides information and shares their own personal experiences with women in special circumstances

(LLLGB). Some of the types of topics they discuss at these meeting would be: adjusting to the new life with the baby, overcoming difficulties with breastfeeding and the infant as well, nutrition of the baby, weaning the baby (LLLI), and benefits of breastfeeding (LLLGB).

The purpose for holding these meetings is that now days people don't live as close to family members, such as their mothers or grandmothers, and these groups can help give the guidance they would otherwise get from living with/near their relatives (LLLGB). The La Leche League meetings are usually held in private homes, community halls, churches, libraries, and hospitals; some groups meet during the day and others at night according to what is more convenient for it's members (LLLGB).

The La Leche League philosophy is based on ten concepts:

Ð'* Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby.

Ð'* Mother and baby need to be together early and often to establish a satisfying relationship and an adequate milk supply.

Ð'* In the early years the baby as an intense need to be