Introductions
and NEW BEGINNINGS
Karen Shaw
Falls, Pennsylvania, USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 33 No. 5, October-November 1997, p. 118
At a recent Series Meeting
I asked a rather complex introductory question of the 15 or so mothers
attending, hopeful of catching a glimpse of the image we, as a Group,
project. The question had two parts:
A. What, if anything, made
you hesitate to attend a La Leche League meeting?
B. If you initially hesitated,
why then did you finally attend?
The answers to Part A
will not surprise you:
- The ideas are radical:
nursing older children; mother stays home and breastfeeds.
- My baby at eight weeks
is too old for those meetings.
- Watch out, they are hard
core.
- They are judgmental regarding
issues of total breastfeeding.
- They are a cult.
- Fear of hearing/making
comments which would stir feelings of failure.
- I don't need support.
- I can't go alone.
These thoughts grew from opinions
other people shared with these mothers; some of them were made by members
of the health care community.
Part B answers may
also not surprise you:
- I had breastfeeding difficulties;
I needed specific information.
- I wanted to identify with
people who shared my parenting style and philosophy.
- I took the risk.
- Once there, the people
seemed OK.
- I needed a social connection.
- Once there, I found acceptance.
Nursing two days or two years, it's all great and the baby is given
back to the mother.
- Someone I trusted recommended
it.
- I read some articles in
NEW BEGINNINGS and was impressed with La Leche League.
Our Group has made some marketing
changes based on these answers. When possible, we stress in our meeting
notices the advantages of any amount of breastfeeding. We indicate social
comradeship (annual picnic). We invite the grandmother of the breastfed
baby to attend the May meeting with her daughter or daughter-in-law and
grandchild (a companion). We stress that each mother-baby pair creates
their own definition of success.
I believe, however, our best
marketing tool is NEW BEGINNINGS. Our Group buys cases of back issues
and distributes them in every community venue we can. The magazine portrays
the philosophy; it conveys the acceptance; it makes all of us look credible.
Including a flyer or postcard in NEW BEGINNINGS might help increase
memberships. No need to reinvent the wheel. In NEW BEGINNINGS we have
a great product that effectively promotes LLL.
Ed. Note: Back issues
of NEW BEGINNINGS are available from the LLLI Order Department for the
cost of shipping only. Call for information.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:31:59 UTC 2007.
