LLL- how many of you go?

[momsgotmilk4two]

I have gone to several LLL meetings at different locations and have been dissappointed at the number of nursing toddlers there. The regular LLL meetings I went to usually didn't have any nursing toddlers at all, just babies. The toddler meeting I was so excited to go to yesterday only had one other nursing toddler (the leaders kids were there, but had already weaned, and there was a little girl there, but she had never nursed, the mom was nursing the baby). I really want rl support from other moms who are doing the same thing I'm doing right now. I also thought it would be nice for Will to see other nursing kids, since a lot of our relatives like to tell him that big boys don't nurse, and their kids are weaned: .

[tnrsmom]

As a LLL Leader, I can say that it goes in phases. We have times when there are more nursing toddlers than babes, but we also have times (like now) when we hardly have anyone over the age of 6 mos. That is difficult. I think part of it has to do with the fact that as our children get older, we have more activities to do with them. If we don't have a baby, unfortunately, LLL may take a back seat to these other things.

You are more than welcome to come visit me anytime you want. Rachel is about 5 mos older than Will (and still nursing) and Sarah and Ben are only 5 days apart. You'd fit right in.

All I have to offer is to keep going. Hopefully the meetings remind you of what a good job you are doing. It is wonderful that the other mothers can see you as an inspiration as well. It may give them something to strive for. Good luck.

[hahamommy]

I went to our local LLL meetings, beginning at about 6 mos pregnant with DD ~ there were no babies!! I felt like such a voyer, I wanted to see someone nurse a *baby* not the toddlers who seemed so prevalent at the first meetings! The first mom with a baby to come to a meeting I attended, was too shy to nurse in front of us, I was so bummed! Then the cycle reversed and reversed and reversed again in the 5 years I attended... patience

~diana

[ColoradoMama]

Sometimes I feel bad for new moms who visit our group because we have so many older kids. Most of the children in our group are over a year old! It really does seem to go in cycles. Evening meetings tend to have more pregnant moms and young babies, established groups tend to have more older children - but there are no set rules.

[yogamama]

The LLL group that I belong to has LOTS of nursing toddlers and preschoolers. I really like that - although sometimes I wonder if new moms with tiny babies are a bit shocked at our two and three year olds.

[TiredX2]

I have noticed a real cycle as well. I have been to meetings where DD (at 15 months) was the oldest and then the next month in a different nearby city the youngest! RIght now we only go to toddler meetings and since the leaders DD weaned in Novemeber (at 5), DD (4 years, 2 months) is the oldest and DS (18 months) among the youngest (it *is* a toddler meeting, there is a "normal" meeting next door at the same time).

Good luck and keep looking!

Kay

[Ani & Cam's Mom]

Too bad you are on the opposite side of the country. I think our group scares away people because of the vast number of nursing toddlers.

Me - tandeming a 3 year old and 17 month old
leader - tandeming a 2 1/2 year old and 1 month od
N~ - tandeming a 2 1/2 year old and 2 month old
A~ - tandeming a 2 1/2 year old and 3 month old
A~ - pregnant, her three all weaned around 15 months each (she was pegnant by then)

That's the group that always comes. We're very toddler (and tandem) heavy.

[AmandasMom]

I used to go, but I got tired of being the only one nursing a 2.5 year old, and honestly, the subjects they talked about had absolutely nothing to do with me anymore and I was bored. So I don't go anymore.

[DaryLLL]

It pretty much goes this way--

Daytime mtgs have more stay at home moms, or part time working moms (altho I have knwon full time working moms to take a day off just to come to a mtg). These mtgs will have more toddlers/preschoolers/homeschoolers, as dad isn't home to watch them.

Nighttime mtgs have more working moms, pg women and newborns/infants. We usually rec new moms come to these, so they aren't "shocked" by the nursing toddlers, and don't feel their tiny ones are in danger of being run over!! LOL!

Many groups offer toddler mtgs (sometimes called enrichment mtgs), tandem mtgs, working mom mtgs, mtgs for dads, etc.

Each group has it's own flavor, depending on Leader personalities/approaches, types of attendees, etc. If you are bored with the basic info at mtgs, know that your exp is so helpful to the newbies. Or, OTOH, try and hook up with other moms with kids your age to form your own playgroups.

[lilyka]

You know, with our group it seems to be and all or nothing sort of thing. One meeting will be all newborns (usually the meeting about weaning )One will be all toddlers, all tamdem nursers or all pregnant women. It is like they get together and plan!! Alot of the moms have nursing toddlers that they leave at home so it may appear at first that there are no nursing toddlers.

[mama2m&m]

I go pretty much every month even though the topics don't always pertain at this point. But I like to help out other new moms and sometimes I have questions myself.

I do feel odd sometimes to be the only mom in attendance many times nursing a toddler. At least one leader and at least one or two members attend regularly without their toddlers, but I'm away from mine all day and don't want to attend something else without her, since she's welcome. But, she is a little on the independent side so I don't always get to hear a lot LOL!

[momsgotmilk4two]

Wow, thanks for all of the informative responses! I will keep going and hopefully soon there will be some more toddlers. I do worry about scaring away the moms with newborns at the regular meetings by nursing a two and a half and 13 month old . I don't want them to see LLL as "freaky" because lets face it, they do get that rep sometimes . I hope I am an inspiration to new moms.

[Tanibani]

Come to Thousand Oaks! We have a very big and active group. I go to both baby & toddler meetings and it's nice to see so many toddlers that started out in the babies meeting.

OK, i haven't gone to the baby toddler in the last 3 months because I've been busy, but I still like to go because I see ALL my friends there (plus new moms.) So I never feel bored.

[momsgotmilk4two]

Maybe I will come to Thousand Oaks. Thanks for the tip! I don't think the drive is more than half hour for me. Can you email me with the location or is it on the LLL website? My email addy is [e-mail] Thanks

[Solange]

The group I go to is fabulous....
It is really a good mix of neworns, babies, and toddlers...me having the oldest(almost a 3 y/o)...but many 1 and 2 y/o olds as well. I love to go too to help the "new" bf mammas there and to show that extended nursing is ok.....
hth

[ParkersMama]

Well, where I live, there are two groups. A Saturday one and a Thursday one. The Saturday one is pretty small and has a wide range, with only a few other nursing toddlers. The one on Thursdays is entirely different. There are alot of women there, and 80% of them are nursing older toddlers, some upwards of 4 and 5 years old. Including tandem nursers. It was a pretty surprising thing to see after having been to the Saturday one up until then. This same Thursday group has spawned off an additional monthly toddlers meeting. It is so nice to be around other moms who haven't forced weaning .

[Viola]

I go, and have since my daughter was 2 months old. We have a lot of older children, but not all of them still nurse. Even though my daughter was nursing until recently, she often didn't want to nurse at the LLL meetings, because she was too busy playing with the toys. We're always worried that we've scared away new mothers, but just because the children are so boisterous in their play. We still haven't come up with a good way to deal with this issue.

[Firemom]

Find out if they have a toddler only meeting somewhere in town. We have one here in chicago and its once every 3 months. I actually found someone nursing a 5 year old there just like I was.