Baby Steps around the World

Schaumburg, IL ( March, 2003) Thousands of breastfeeding families, their supporters, and health care professionals around the world will participate in La Leche League's International's (LLLI) World Walk for Breastfeeding being held at locations globally from May through September, 2003.

Most World Walks will be held in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7. Walkers will be making communities aware of the importance of breastfeeding for the health of mothers and babies and, at the same time, raising money to help LLLI to fulfill its mission of giving mother-to-mother support, education, and encouragement to all women who want to breastfeed their babies.

LLLI Walks are unique in that participants are most often families who walk with babies and other children. While the effect of raising awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding is always far-reaching, the actual distance covered by these families of Walkers is often not very far. Many Walks are held locally in conjunction with picnics, health fairs and other activities chosen to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding.

LLLI is a nonprofit organization that in addition to helping mothers, offers professional education through its Physicians Seminars, Lactation Consultant Workshops, and International Conference. LLLI's office houses the largest compilation of breastfeeding research in the world.

LLLI is also a source of books, pamphlets and other resources that are of help to breastfeeding families worldwide. In 2003, LLLI published an extensively revised edition of The Breastfeeding Answer Book, the definitive book for those who help breastfeeding mothers, and at the end of the year will be publishing a new edition of the quintessential Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. LLLI has breastfeeding information in over thirty languages and an informative website with information about these materials and the answers to most breastfeeding questions. Please visit this website that reaches millions every year at www.lalecheleague.org

Those interested in participating in the World Walk for Breastfeeding or in sponsoring a Walker may call us or visit our website for information about activities in your area. Please consider taking this baby step today. Baby steps today mean large strides in healthier babies and mothers tomorrow.