What can I do to further the cause?

[JamieCatheryn]

This past week I've convinced a friend to breastfeed her preterm newborn daughter who otherwise would have formula fed, diagnosed the problem another friend had with her first child (who ended up on soy formula since nobody told her) so she'll know the next may need her to quit dairy herself to BF, and am on the road to convincing an aquaintance to try and relactate to help her underweight 10 month old formula fed dd who isn't able to swallow solids yet. I love helping babies to get their birthright and grow up healthy, it feels great! I want a route to do more. I'm a SAHM and I want to have some certification backing my advice and serve in a volunteer position where I can help more moms to breastfeed and to do it longer. I don't want to take too much time away from my son or spend years in school to do it though. Today, I've looked up several ways to do it, but all have their problems.

IBLCE - too much school required and I'd have to find someplace that would let me council, observed, in an official capacity before they'd let me take a test.

WIC peer councling - you have to be/have been a WIC participant and we make above the poverty line.

LLL Leader - women generally only go to the LLL when they're already pretty sure they want to BF, usually for a significant amount of time.

So, does anyone have any ideas? I'm leaning toward the LLL thing and just working on community activism things to get the word out.

[theresa_caine]

Hi-

I've also seen women volunteer at women's shelters, teen pregnancy groups, etc. Is there a local crisis pregnancy center?

Maybe one of those would work?

[rupiezum]

A few points to consider:

If you're wanting to work as a volunteer, then yes, IBCLC is probably more schooling than you want to obtain; it's like the pinnacle of the optinos you also mention, like a nurse practicioner versus an LPN, to give (a somewhat awkward) parallel.

WIC peer counselors do not necessarily have to have been WIC recipients; I personally know of several cases where a PC was hired because she was enthused and there was a need for staffing in the program. I get the sense that this varies from program to program. Also, FYI, you do not have to be below the poverty line to be eligible for WIC.

While it's true that those attending LLL meetings are generally already "in the breastfeeding camp", they still need support. Also, being an LLL leader is a form of outreach. My mother's best friend was a leader for many years, and people who might never have otherwise approached her did so because tey knew her through church or the Little League or the sailing club - you get the idea.

In any of these positions, your capacity for outreach is self-limited. If any of those options interest you, research them in depth.

Also, check to see if there is a local Nursing Mothers Council, or what other training opportunities might present themselves.

[grumpyshoegirl]

What rupiezum said. Even at hospitals, a lot of the time the IBCLCs are only called when a woman wants to breastfeed. They don't just send them in to every mom's room.

Here's another option you might consider, because I think it would have a BIG impact on on-the-fence women. What about becoming a Certified Childbirth Educator (CCE)? I'm actually looking into this myself because the woman who ran our childbirth class as a joke, and a bad joke at that. She told us, among other gems, to start out by nursing five minutes a side-- because, you know, babies don't need to eat for longer than ten minutes and they certainly don't need any hindmilk, right? And to never let the nursing baby use mom as a pacifier-- because pacifiers aren't just imitation breasts, right?

Sorry, ranting. Anyhow, I think childbirth class with a dynamic, positive, upbeat teacher who treats breastfeeding as the default (not just a "better" option) and formula as something that should only be done out of medical necessity has the ability to impact a lot of women who honestly don't know any better.

[rupiezum]

Originally Posted by grumpyshoegirl

I think childbirth class with a dynamic, positive, upbeat teacher who treats breastfeeding as the default (not just a "better" option) and formula as something that should only be done out of medical necessity has the ability to impact a lot of women who honestly don't know any better.

[Sarah]

I just thought I'd mention that there is another branch to lactivism beyond helping mothers- and that is to work in the political arena- for example working to pass breastfeeding protection legislation, improve conditions for working mothers, promote breastfeeding education in schools, lobby to have the WHO code enacted into law, help hospitals become baby friendly... etc.

Remember that lactivism goes right up to a national level. It's not all about Mary's sore nipples.