1. Shortly tell us about your motherhood and/or breastfeeding journey(s)
I was very fortunate to have breastfeeding support from when I gave birth. My family and especially my husband were fully behind my decision to breastfeed. I experienced very few challenges but the ones I do remember included blocked ducts and nursing strikes. All of these bumps I could successfully overcome with the support and info from LLLSA. I returned to work full-time after both my pregnancies and again, LLLSA was vital in providing me with all the info I needed to express at work and provide my milk for my babies.
2. How did you come to know about La Leche League and how did they support you?
I was introduced to League by a friend who invited me to the LLLSA Facebook group after I gave birth to my first child. The first thing I saw when I was accepted into the group was an image of a mom breastfeeding her toddler in the garden. My first thought was 'what an odd thing to do!' What I didn't realize was I would be doing these things too! Since then LLLSA has been a big support in my mothering journey. It has given me the confidence to mother through breastfeeding, to encourage, educate and support others in their breastfeeding journeys. I went on to breastfeed my second child as well. This past December I have been breastfeeding for ten years!
3. What inspired/motivated you to become a LLL Leader?
The invaluable support and information I received from LLLSA and the Leaders helped me exclusively breastfeed my children. There is so much misinformation on breastfeeding that I felt compelled to become a Leader. I wanted to ensure other mothers have access to the information I was exposed to, so they could also benefit from the information and support LLLSA provides.
4. What do you find challenging/frustrating about being a LLL leader?
My biggest challenge is contradicting information shared by uninformed healthcare providers. Unfortunately, many mothers tend to follow advice given by healthcare practitioners without questioning the validity of the information. It is damaging and heartbreaking when a mother's breastfeeding journey is interrupted/stopped due to outdated advice that has no evidence to back it up.
5. What do you find particularly enjoyable about being a LLL leader?
It brings me so much joy when a mother follows her instinct and sticks to her breastfeeding decisions despite pressure from others. It is heartwarming to see a mother's confidence grow in how she mothers her children.
6. Where can moms find you? Which group are you involved in?
I live in Bothasig, Cape Town and form part of the Parow group, which I co-lead with my fellow group leaders. I am also involved in our LLLSA Facebook group as well as our Whatsapp group where I support mothers online.
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