About Us
The basic philosophy of La Leche League is summarized in the following statements:
- Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby. -
- Mother and baby need to be together early and often to establish a satisfying relationship and an adequate milk supply.
- In the early years the baby has an intense need to be with his mother which is as basic as his need for food.
- Human milk is the natural food for babies, uniquely meeting their changing needs.
- For the healthy, full-term baby, breast milk is the only food necessary until the baby shows signs of needing solids, about the middle of the first year after birth.
- Ideally the breastfeeding relationship will continue until the baby outgrows the need. Alert and active participation by the mother in childbirth is a help in getting breastfeeding off to a good start.
- Breastfeeding is enhanced and the nursing couple sustained by the loving support, help, and companionship of the baby's father.
- A father's unique relationship with his baby is an important element in the child's development from early infancy.
- Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible.
- From infancy on, children need loving guidance which reflects acceptance of their capabilities and sensitivity to their feelings.
-
The ideals and principles of mothering which are the foundation of LLLI beliefs are further developed in THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, the most comprehensive handbook on breastfeeding and parenting ever published. It has provided needed answers to three generations of nursing mothers on every aspect of breastfeeding.
To visit La Leche League International directly, and peruse or search through their thorough database of articles and help pages, click here.
If you'd like to see a video done for the 50 Year Anniversary of La Leche League International, done 9 years ago, feel free to watch this brief history:
- Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby. -
- Mother and baby need to be together early and often to establish a satisfying relationship and an adequate milk supply.
- In the early years the baby has an intense need to be with his mother which is as basic as his need for food.
- Human milk is the natural food for babies, uniquely meeting their changing needs.
- For the healthy, full-term baby, breast milk is the only food necessary until the baby shows signs of needing solids, about the middle of the first year after birth.
- Ideally the breastfeeding relationship will continue until the baby outgrows the need. Alert and active participation by the mother in childbirth is a help in getting breastfeeding off to a good start.
- Breastfeeding is enhanced and the nursing couple sustained by the loving support, help, and companionship of the baby's father.
- A father's unique relationship with his baby is an important element in the child's development from early infancy.
- Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible.
- From infancy on, children need loving guidance which reflects acceptance of their capabilities and sensitivity to their feelings.
-
The ideals and principles of mothering which are the foundation of LLLI beliefs are further developed in THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, the most comprehensive handbook on breastfeeding and parenting ever published. It has provided needed answers to three generations of nursing mothers on every aspect of breastfeeding.
To visit La Leche League International directly, and peruse or search through their thorough database of articles and help pages, click here.
If you'd like to see a video done for the 50 Year Anniversary of La Leche League International, done 9 years ago, feel free to watch this brief history:
Our Team
I am a mother of three boys and one stepson ages 11 to 2 months. I breast fed my two older sons for three and a half years and have every intention of breastfeeding my new addition for at least that long if not longer. I lived in the Cottonwood area all through childhood until college and decided to return when my oldest son was a baby. I love the area and the beauty that surrounds me. I am passionate about all things related to breastfeeding and am constantly learning. I have a bachelors in fine arts from the u of a and have been teaching Montessori school ages 3 to 6 up until this year due to the fact that my youngest was born October 2015 and I am fortunate enough to be able to spend time with him. I have been a leader in the Cottonwood and Prescott areas for the last 10 years. |
Growing up in a breastfeeding friendly home, I never doubted that was how I was going to feed my babies. I was surprised at how difficult such a natural thing was when my daughter was born in 2007. I attended LLL meetings regularly, and got support from my mother and husband, we we made it to 2 years, when my daughter decided she was done.
Fast forward to when she was almost 5, and I got a job as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor at the local WIC office in hopes of helping support mothers in reaching their breastfeeding goals. In my 2 years of working for WIC, I was fortunate enough to receive 65+ hours of Breastfeeding education and obtain my Breastfeeding Counselor Certificate. All my experience was put to use when my son was born last year with a whole bunch of different challenges than I had faced with my daughter. I feel lucky that I get to be on this breastfeeding road again, and am excited to walk with and support other mothers along the journey. |
The needs of breastfeeding families stretch from pregnancy to infancy and even through toddlerhood. I have developed a strong understanding of successful breastfeeding through a combination of professional development and personal experience. My clinical experience first began as a social worker for at-risk new families in rural Arizona. This soon sparked an interest in the field of lactation as I watched moms struggle and fail in her attempts to breastfeed for lack of professional support.
I became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 2010 and began working as such at Flagstaff Medical Center. As a mother of 3 breastfed children, I have experienced the many joys and benefits of breastfeeding. I have also experienced many of the real life challenges like sleep deprivation, breast infections, breastfeeding a NICU baby, postpartum depression and pumping and working to name a few.
|
