La Leche League Bristol

A - Z of breastfeeding

2012-01-11T16:48:00.001Z

There is a meeting on Thursday 12 January at April's house and all are welcome. It is from 10.15am to 12pm at 53 Zetland Rd, Redland, Bristol BS6 7AJ. We'll be talking about the A - Z of breastfeeding, plus any other questions that you may have.

Hope to see you there, the Bristol Leaders

A - Z of breastfeeding

2012-01-11T16:47:00.000Z

December meeting

2011-12-05T21:24:00.000Z

We are looking forward to seeing you this Thursday 8 December at 53 Zetland Rd from 10.15am to 12pm to talk about Starting Solids.

See the Meetings and Info page for directions, or phone one of the Leaders for further details.

The Bristol Leaders

Breastfeeding Matters

2011-11-07T21:13:00.001Z

The latest edition of our members magazine Breastfeeding Matters is out http://www.facebook.com/pages/Breastfeeding-Matters/136580916400946

November LLL meeting

2011-11-07T21:09:00.000Z

You are invited to the Bristol LLL meeting on Thursday 10 November from 10.15am to 12pm at 53 Zetland Rd. The topic will be Common Breastfeeding Concerns. See the Meetings page for more info and a map.

New Milk Bank in Bristol

2011-11-07T21:07:00.000Z

A Milk Bank has now opened at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Contact a Leader if you would like to find out about donating. More info in this article and on the Southmead linkL

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-15534863

New Books in our Library!

2011-10-30T20:02:00.001Z

April and Floredia recently went to the annual LLL Conference and returned with 3 new books for our library. They are:

'Depression in new mothers' by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett; 'How Mothers Love' (and how relationships are born) by Naomi Stadlen; 'Parenting for a peaceful world' by Robin Grille

See the 'Group library' page for a list of our existing library books which are free for LLL members to borrow.

Museum meet up

2011-10-24T20:39:00.000+01:00

Come to 'Mums Talking' at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery this Thursday 27 October from 10.30am where La Leche League mums and Leader Charlie will be getting together in the cafe for a cuppa. Also check out the toddler play area where there are many interesting things for older babies!

Breastfeeding and sleep

2011-10-24T20:36:00.000+01:00

Thanks to Syreeta for sharing this link. Here is more information on the research which shows how breastfeeding mothers get more sleep! Science & Sensibility

Adjusting to life as a breastfeeding family

2011-10-01T14:51:00.001+01:00

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We're looking forward to seeing you on Thursday 13th October from 10.15am at 53 Zetland Road, Redland to discuss Adjusting to life as a breastfeeding family (Series 2)

See Meeting Info page for directions.

Special offer on Memberships for NEW members.

2011-09-28T12:02:00.001+01:00

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Have you put off becoming a LLL member. Not sure how it benefits you. New members joining between October and January have the option of a half year membership, which gives you 3 magazines between October and April. See membership tab for more benefits.

For members who support breastfeeding groups - why not get your group to take out a health professional membership ( no proof of status required) your group can then receive 6 copies of our bimonthly magazine as well as having access to the LLLGB Panel of Professional Advisors, receive copies of Information Sheets and leaflets as they are published, receive information about training opportunities and help us to provide quality information to breastfeeding families.

Click lllgbbooks.co.uk - Memberships for more information or see the tab above on how your local group can benefit.

Breastfeeding Today - New Spetember Addition availabe online

2011-09-26T11:03:00.002+01:00

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The lastest edition of the LLL magazine Breastfeeding Today can be found online by clicking here plus past issues. It is an international magazine from La Leche League International full of inspiring stories, helpful information, news and reviews for expectant parents , breastfeeding mums their families and supporters at all stages of the parenting journey . If the statements “I can’t put my baby down! My baby always wants to be held. I can’t get anything done.”rings true for you then the article on holiding your baby might be for you........no hands required.

positioning, tongue tie

2011-09-22T16:48:00.002+01:00

It was lovely to see some of you at the meet up at the Bristol Museum cafe this morning. We talked about positioning your baby very close so as to enable them to open wide and latch on, and you can find out more here including pictures and descriptions of breast support techniques. There is more info about the 'laid back' position at biological nurturing. La Leche League International also as some ideas for helping to heal sore nipples.

There is more information about tongue tie on the Milk Matters website.

Mums Talking

2011-09-19T20:37:00.000+01:00

Come to the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery cafe (top of Park St) BS8 1RL on Thursday 22 September from 10.30am to 12pm to catch up with other breastfeeding mums and their children. We'll be in the cafe or in the toddler play area next door.

What do you need to breastfeed?

2011-09-03T13:04:00.002+01:00

Hope you had lovely summer holidays and got some sunshine.

We're looking forward to seeing you on Thursday 8 Sept from 10.15am at 53 Zetland Road, Redland to discuss what you really need to breastfeed successfully.

See Meeting Info page for directions.

Summer Social, 25 Aug

2011-08-14T19:54:00.001+01:00

The next La Leche League meet up will be a Summer Social at Cotham Gardens Park in Redland on Thursday 25 August from 10.30am to 12ish. Bring a picnic if the sun is shining! This is the park just opposite Redland Train Station. Buses 8 & 9 stop next to it.

The next meeting at 53 Zetland Rd will be on Thursday 8 September from 10.15am.

Toddler manners!

2011-08-14T19:48:00.001+01:00

At the meeting on 11 Aug we talked about ways of managing toddler feeding needs and fitting them in with our own. Some helpful books are:

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
Mothering Your Nursing Toddler
Adventures in Gentle Discipline

Have a look under the tab 'Group Library' for a full list of our library books.

There is plenty to read about reasons to breastfeed a toddler at kellymom

World Breastfeeding Week Special Offer

2011-08-02T15:06:00.000+01:00

This week (1 - 7 August) is World Breastfeeding Week and to celebrate La Leche League international has got a special offer on. You can get the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, LLLI annual membership and the book BabyBabyOhBaby for a special price. See here for more info.

Park meet up

2011-07-26T22:18:00.000+01:00

Come and play in the park, or ask a question if you have one, this Thursday 28 July. We'll be in the play equipment area of Greville Smythe Park from 10.30am til around noon. There is parking on Ashton Road. Everyone welcome.

Busy meeting

2011-07-15T16:41:00.000+01:00

I couldn't be at the meeting this week, but I hear it was lovely and busy! Remember that you can call an LLL Leader in between meetings if you have a concern you'd like to talk through.

There is also lots of great info online at www.llli.org A good place to start is the FAQs section.

The Nights

2011-07-11T22:26:00.000+01:00

The meeting this Thursday 14 July will be about 'night-time parenting' and we'd love to hear your experiences and suggestions. All welcome at 53 Zetland Rd at 10.15am. More info and map on the Meetings Info page.

Big Bristol Breastfeed

2011-06-25T22:50:00.000+01:00

The Big Bristol Breastfeed today in town was a lovely day and with so many gorgeous mums and babies! It was a pleasure to see everyone just getting together. Here is a photo for those who couldn't make it. See Big Bristol Breastfeed on Facebook for many more:

Big Bristol Breastfeed

2011-06-23T22:13:00.001+01:00

We had a lovely time in the park today, despite the showers!

You are all invited to the Big Bristol Breastfeed this Saturday 25 July. We'll be meeting at Anchor Square (near Millennium Square), next to @Bristol anytime from 10am to 4pm, with a main gathering at 12pm. It promises to be a great day with lots of passionate Bristol breastfeeders coming together to raise awareness, so do come along with friends and family to celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

To find out more, look for Big Bristol Breastfeed on Facebook. Here is a picture of the recent 'flashmob' gathering of breastfeeding mums in Manchester.

Summer Social, 23 June

2011-06-22T22:20:00.000+01:00

There is a Summer Social tomorrow, 23 June, which will be in Cotham Gardens Park if it is not raining, or even just a few showers.
If it is really wet, we'll head to Rimando's cafe on Gloucester Rd. See the Meetings Info page for directions.
See you there, the Bristol Leaders

New edition of Breastfeeding Today

2011-06-15T21:02:00.000+01:00

You can read the latest edition of the international magazine from La Leche League here: Breastfeeding Today

When you need to leave your baby

2011-06-11T20:29:00.001+01:00

It was great to see lots of people at the meeting on 9 June. The meeting got a little hectic, so do remember that you can contact a Leader in between meetings if you had a concern that we didn't get a chance to talk about at the meeting.

It was lovely to see Lorraine and Callum again and to welcome Daisy to her first LLL meeting!

There are a few information sheets that LLL publish that are helpful if you are going back to work or if you need to leave your baby with someone else for a length of time. These are:

When Mum Can't Be There
Workday Practicalities
Working and Breastfeeding
Storing Your Milk
Hand Expression of Breast Milk
Choosing a Breast Pump

They cost 75p each and you can get them from here.

There are also some useful books in our library on working and breastfeeding, such as Hirkanis Daughters.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday 23 June from 10.30am to 12ish for the next Summer Social in Cotham Gardens Park, or Rimando's Cafe if it is raining, to celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Week!.

And don't forget the Big Bristol Breastfeed! This will be a great gathering of Bristol breastfeeding mums, also to celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Week. It will be on Saturday 25 June from 10am to 4pm in Anchor Square, next to @Bristol. There is a mass breastfeed planned for 12pm. It promises to be a lot of fun so come along and spread the word. There is more info on the Big Bristol Breastfeed Facebook page.

Working and breastfeeding

2011-06-06T21:18:00.003+01:00

The meeting this Thursday will be at 53 Zetland Rd and the topic is juggling breastfeeding with working. This can mean retuning to work full time, fitting in some part time paid work or trying to fit in looking after your own needs and those of your family whilst you've got a little one at home with you. We'd love to see you and hear your experiences and any questions you may have on the subject. There will, of course, be plenty of time for other topics.

The meeting will start at 10.30am so come anytime from 10am to get settled and a cup of tea! Bring a little food to share if you can.

See you there, Charlie and Vicky

comfort feeding

2011-05-12T20:29:00.000+01:00

Thank you for a lovely meeting today, with some lively toddlers! We talked about ways of getting both mums and babies comfortable when breastfeeding. We mentioned biological nurturing, and you can find out more here.

La Leche League publish a number of leaflets on positioning and latch, such as Comfortable Breastfeeding, Nipple Pain, which you can get here

There is also online information about positioning here

We also talked a little about breastfeeding and fertility and there are some more articles here

We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting, which is a 'Summer Social' in Greville Smythe Park, on Ashton Rd, at 10.30am on Thursday 26 May.

Are you breastfeeding comfortably?

2011-05-11T22:44:00.000+01:00

The meeting tomorrow, Thurs 12 May, will be at 53 Zetland Rd at 10.30am. We'll be talking about breastfeeding and comfort. All welcome.

Should Mothers Avoid Nighttime Breastfeeding to Decrease Their Risk of Depression? By Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

2011-05-04T22:13:00.000+01:00

Kathleen Kendall-Tackett recently wrote an article questioning the advice given to mothers at risk of depression to avoid nighttime breastfeeding. It is assumed that breastfeeding mothers get less sleep, and this would therefore have a negative impact on their mental health. However, Kendall-Tackett examines research on breastfeeding mothers and reveals that breastfeeding mothers get more sleep. She says:

At first glance, it may seem to be [good advice to avoid nighttime breastfeeding]. Since breast milk is lower in fat and protein than formula, we might assume, as I once did, that breastfeeding mothers sleep less than their formula-feeding counterparts. When a mother’s mental health is at stake, avoiding nighttime breastfeeding might be worth the risk it poses to breastfeeding. However, recent research has revealed the opposite: that breastfeeding mothers actually get more sleep – particularly when the baby was in proximity to the mother. And that has major implications for their mental health.

The author reviews studies of mothers at 4 weeks postpartum, during the first month and at 3 months. In each of these studies the breastfeeding mothers got the most sleep, especially when they were bedsharing. Mothers who were exclusively breastfeeding at 3 months got an average of 40mins more sleep per night than those who supplemented.

Not only did the breastfeeding mothers get more sleep, but the sleep they get is better quality. Another study compared the sleep quality of breastfeeding and bottlefeeding mothers and found a significant difference in the amount of slow-wave sleep. Breastfeeding mothers got an average of 182 minutes compared with 63 minutes for the exclusively bottlefeeding mothers. “Slow-wave sleep is an important marker of sleep quality, and those with a lower percentage of slow-wave sleep report more daytime fatigue and pain.”

Another recent study of 2,830 women, published in the journal Sleep (“not known for its support of breastfeeding”) found that mothers who were not exclusively breastfeeding had more disrupted sleep and a higher risk of depression.

Kendall-Tackett concludes that exclusive breastfeeding including at night helps reduce the risk of depression due to the deep restorative sleep stages and the ease with which mum falls asleep and returns to sleep after feeding.

Dr. Kendall-Tackett PhD IBCLC is a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and La Leche League Leader who specialises in writing about breastfeeding, women’s health and depression. She is the author of many breastfeeding research articles and co-author of Breastfeeding Made Simple. There is more information on her websites: www.UppityScienceChick.com and www.BreastfeedingMadeSimple.com

CHANGES TO DAY AND VENUE!!!!!

2011-04-30T22:18:00.002+01:00

Dear Bristol mums
The forthcoming meetings over the summer will be on THURSDAYS and take place at different locations.
The Series Meetings are to be held on the 2nd THURSDAY of every month and will be at 53 Zetland Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 7AJ.
There will be Summer Socials held on the 4th THURSDAY of every month and these will be in a local park or cafe. Check the individual event listing for the location. Summer Socials are meet ups for breastfeeding mums and their families and friends.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 12 May, 10.15am - 12pm, at 53 Zetland Rd, Redland BS6 7AJ.
Tell your friends and help spread the word! Ring a Leader for more info.
With love from the Bristol Leaders.

Meeting on Wed 13 April is MOVING

2011-04-13T08:54:00.005+01:00

The meeting today, Wed 13 April, will not be at Charlie's house as the children are ill. Instead Vicky will be at the Hen and Chicken on North St from 10.30am for anyone who wants to go along for a cup of something and a chat.

Very sorry about the late notice. With love from the Bristol Leaders.

Starting solids and healthy eating for the family

2011-04-08T21:37:00.000+01:00

You are invited to the next meeting which will be on introducing solid foods and the wider issues that come up at this time. The meeting is on Wed 13 April in Southville, Bristol. It is the Easter hols so if there are a few older children around we may wind up early and end up in the garden (fingers crossed the sun holds).

laid back breastfeeding

2011-03-28T21:15:00.003+01:00

This is a great article about laid back breastfeeding
www.nancymohrbacher.com/blog

Making toddlers happy

2011-03-20T23:08:00.000Z

On Wed 23 March, at the Coffee Morning in Bradley Stoke, we'll be talking about the many joys (and tribulations) of breastfeeding a toddler. Hope to see you there!

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'Is breastfeeding advocacy anti-feminist?' an essay by Katherine Dettwyler

2011-02-10T19:56:00.000Z

This article looks interesting http://www.lactivistleanings.com/education/is-breastfeeding-advocacy-anti-feminist-an-essay-by-katherine-a-dettwyler/

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Expectations versus reality

2011-02-09T20:54:00.000Z

The meeting today was really enjoyable, thanks so much for coming and sharing your experiences. We talked about many different things, but here are some links to further information on some of the topics.

We talked about things that we would have liked to have known about breastfeeding before we had our baby. Some mothers mentioned positioning and how to know if baby is latched on well. Here is the La Leche League information on positioning and latch: http://www.llli.org/NB/NBlatch.html

We also talked about 'laid back' breastfeeding and some further information can be found at www.biologicalnurturing.com There are also videos of babies self attaching on youtube and this behaviour is retained for months if not years. Babies who have not breastfeed before have self attached at 3 months.

There are some good video clips of babies breastfeeding at www.drjacknewman.com

There were concerns about how to know if a young baby is getting enough milk. Here is our page on how to access this: http://www.llli.org/FAQ/enough.html And you can get our fact sheet on this subject here http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/product/192/is_my_baby_getting_enough_milk_-_pad_of_50/default.aspx (75p)

Also here http://www.llli.org/thewomanlyartofbreastfeeding you can download Chapter 20 of the new Womanly Art of Breastfeeding which has a 'Tear Sheet Tool Kit' which is single pages of helpful information for new parents, including a nappy log.

We also talked about breastfeeding past the first year and here is a link to some of the benefits http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

And we mentioned baby led weaning which you can find out more about here www.babyledweaning.com and is one of the ways in which you can introduce babies to solids at the middle of the first year.

Finally, all this information and much more can be found in the fabulous Womanly Art of Breastfeeding which you can get from here http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk

The next meeting will be in Southville on 9 March as there is no Coffee Morning this month.

The Bristol Leaders

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La Leche League GB’s response to the article reported in the British Medical Journal, January2011, questioning the recommendation to introduce solid food to babies at 6 months

2011-01-23T13:28:00.000Z

La Leche League has been providing breastfeeding information and support to parents for over fifty years. We support the view of The World Health Organisation (WHO), The Department of Health (DH), and other eminent organisations, that infants should be exclusively breastfed for around the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive appropriate complementary foods alongside continued breastfeeding.

When WHO recommended this policy it was based on a systematic review of 3,000 studies on infant feeding. The article the British Medical Journal published, on 14 January 2011, suggesting that babies need solids earlier than six months of age, is not a new research study or a systematic review of all available evidence. Three of the four authors of this research have declared an association with the baby feeding industry.

There is clear scientific evidence that breastfeeding protects both the short and long term health of mothers and babies. It reduces the risk of infections such as gastroenteritis and respiratory, ear and urinary tract infections, particularly infections requiring hospitalisation, even in developed countries such as the

. The risk of diabetes and obesity in children and cancer in mothers is lessened and it reduces the risk of postnatal depression and neglect. With the current risk of swine flu, exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of the baby catching secondary infections, which could be serious enough to need hospital admission.

The BMJ article says that delaying introducing solid food may increase the risk of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA)

Breastmilk supplies all the essential nutrients a baby needs for around the first six months of life. There isn’t a lot of iron in breastmilk because there isn’t supposed to be. It is more completely absorbed by a baby than the kind in formula, baby cereal or supplements. Breastmilk contains a protein that binds to any extra iron that the baby doesn’t use because too much iron can end up feeding the wrong kind of bacteria in his intestines and this can result in diarrhoea/constipation or even microscopic bleeding. Formula fed babies can have too much iron in their intestines, which causes these problems and ends up reducing their overall iron.

If a baby is started on solids before he is ready iron stores can drop. Some fruits and vegetables can bind with iron before the baby has a chance to use it. These foods are often low in iron and so are simply replacing the perfect food for babies with ones with fewer nutrients.

To help ensure a breastfed baby has a good supply of iron, women can look at their diet during pregnancy and ask that the umbilical cord is not cut before it stops pulsating as this adds to his iron supply.

The BMJ article says that delaying introducing solids may increase the risk of coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is associated with the early introduction of gluten, which is found in cereals. Currently available evidence on the timing of the introduction of gluten into the infant diet is insufficient to support any recommendations and a study suggesting this should be at four months is considered by many to be flawed. There is evidence suggesting that not being breastfed at the time gluten is introduced into the diet is associated with an increased risk of subsequently developing coeliac disease.

The article says that delaying introducing solids may increase food allergies

A baby’s insides are designed to be ready for solid food once his outside has developed enough for him to eat it on his own. If offered too soon he will automatically thrust it back out to protect his digestive tract. La Leche League suggests mothers look for cues that their baby is ready, such as being able to sit up, pick up food, get it in his mouth and chew without choking, and that often happens around six months. A baby’s digestive tract needs to be mature before starting solids so the lining of his intestines is sealed against allergens (allergy producers). If given solids too early allergens can slip through the intestinal wall into the blood stream and the baby produces antibodies against them, which can result in allergies such as eczema.

At around six months a baby starts producing adult-type enzymes, which we need to break down food for digestion. If he has solids before he can digest them properly it can cause tummy problems and the nutrients will not be fully utilised.

Trials are being undertaken to test if babies with a family history of true allergy might be helped by earlier introduction of certain foods but, as a rule, the majority of babies are less likely to have an allergic reaction to foods by around six months.

The article suggests that introducing new tastes at an earlier age may increase acceptance of leafy green vegetables and encourage healthy eating later in life

This is purely speculative. Breastmilk prepares a baby for family food as it changes in flavour depending on the mother’s diet and so exposes the baby to various tastes from birth on wards. In fact research shows that formula-fed babies often don’t accept new tastes as willingly as breastfed babies. What a baby prefers to eat will be dependent on many things and will change as he grows. Some mothers have found that if a baby was encouraged to eat a food he had shown a particular aversion to it caused a negative reaction, perhaps showing that babies instinctively know what to refuse. If offered a range of healthy foods babies tend to take what they need.

The article says that delayed introduction to solid foods may be linked to increased obesity

This is in total conflict with the studies showing that early introduction, particularly of sugary foods, is an important factor behind the obesity epidemic and can lead to babies being overfed. Breastfeeding helps a baby to regulate his own appetite so that when he starts solids he may be better able to avoid over eating.

La Leche League GB knows that women already receive conflicting advice and information on many aspects of childcare and that this report has caused concern and confusion amongst parents wondering what to do for the best for their children. Babies’ individual development varies and parents are best placed to look for signs that their baby may be ready for solid food, around six months of age.

While we recognise that it is important to ensure that recommendations are based on the best available evidence, and are regularly reviewed, we continue to believe that breastmilk provides everything a baby needs up to around six months of age and that to introduce other foods before a baby is ready is not beneficial.

La Leche League GB offers breastfeeding information and support to all. Established as an Affiliate of LLL International in the 1980s, LLLGB has 68 groups and 245 Leaders. LLL Leaders are mothers who have breastfed a child for 12 months or longer and undergone an accreditation process. They know that breastfeeding is not always easy and how much difference having someone to talk to can make. Leaders provide telephone counselling, email support and local group meetings, as well as leaflets on a wide range of breastfeeding questions, information on more unusual situations, access to a panel of professional advisors, and can often lend out books covering various aspects of pregnancy and child care.

LLLGB's national telephone helpline (0845 120 2918) connects mothers directly to an accredited Leader, while our website (www.laleche.org.uk) includes an online help form that enables a mother to receive email help from an LLL Leader. All our Leaders are volunteers and answer calls from home while looking after their families.

The new 8^th edition of La Leche League International's The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding was published on July 13th 2010 and can be purchased from the LLLGB SHOP www.lllgbbooks.co.uk.

Written by Anna Burbidge, Chair, Council of Directors, on behalf of La Leche League GB

Breastfeeding Today - Online magazine.

2011-01-16T17:49:00.004Z

Did you know that La Leche League International have an online magazine called Breastfeeding Today.
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/94fb8af9#/94fb8af9/1

Some very interesting articles with links to back issues.

December issue includes articles on :- Laid back breastfeeding and Biological nurturing, Too busy to Breastfeed and when Breastfed children get sick and other stories by mums.

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Membership - Why Join?

2011-01-16T17:21:00.005Z

All of our meetings are free for Mothers. If you decide that you have benefited from them then why not consider joining LLL for the New Year (Join Feb and get 14 months benefit)

Membership only costs £25 per year (concessions for unwaged families available)
That is about £2 per month! It includes a bi-monthly subscription to Breastfeeding Matters

Investment in you, your child, and future nursing Mothers!

Make new friendships with other nursing Mums.

Gain self confidence for your breastfeeding relationship

LLL lending library- books on birth, breastfeeding, parenting ( for Mums and Dads), etc.

Member discounts on conference fees

How does LLL Bristol Benefit???

Increased funds to purchase new books for the Group Library.

Helps Leaders stay up to date on the newest breastfeeding research and information, so they can help you get the most out of your breastfeeding experience.

Supports La Leche League in its mission to help mothers and promote breastfeeding in Bristol, South West, Uk and around the world.

Ensures that breastfeeding support will continue to be available for other mothers!

Contact a leader if interested and unable to make a meeting or order online here
http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/shopping/go_shopping/membership_and_donations/ .

If you are still not sure about a membership and are a UK taxpayer why not make a donation via our membership form. As an organisation we can get an extra 25p of tax on every £1 you give.

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Did you watch or here the news this week? Weaning before six months 'may help breastfed babies'

2011-01-16T16:31:00.003Z

Has this left you feeling confused and worried or even annoyed ? Here are a few links in response to the news that may help ease your concerns or help to argue your point.

The Unicef UK response to the news.
http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/unicef_uk_response_to_BMJ_article_140111.pdf

The link below breaks down the article that made the news and looks at the sources identified.

Analytical Armadillo: Starting Solids - The Facts Behind Today's Media Hype

www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk

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Latching and attaching

2010-10-11T19:51:00.001+01:00

We are looking forward to seeing you at the meeting this Wed 13 Oct at 10.15am at 39 Hamilton Rd, Southville. We'll be talking about all the different ways that a baby can latch on and feed. Hopefully we'll hear about some brand new ways mums and babies have worked it out!

With love from Charlie, Vicky and Floredia

Venue change for 22 Sept

2010-09-14T21:49:00.001+01:00

The coffee morning on 22 September will be at Charlie's house (39 Hamilton Rd, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1PA) and not Jenny's this month. Please spread the word. Thanks.

Meeting today

2010-09-08T21:24:00.004+01:00

Thanks so much for those of you who came to the meeting today, it was lovely to see you all and to hear your comments.

Here is a link to lots of more detailed information on the ways in which breastfeeding supports the normal and healthy development of both babies and mothers: http://www.llli.org/NB/NBbenefits.html

If you are interested in finding out more about the new edition of the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding you can download a chapter here: http://www.llli.org/thewomanlyartofbreastfeeding

Meeting on 8 Sept

2010-09-07T19:21:00.002+01:00

We are looking forward to seeing you lovely people this coming Wednesday 8 Sept at 39 Hamilton Rd. We'll be talking about 'How important is breastfeeding' but there will be plenty of time for your questions and other topics.

With love from Charlie and Vicky.

Floredia

2010-09-04T21:14:00.001+01:00

We would very much like to hear from you if you have been supported on your breastfeeding journey by Bristol Leader Floredia. Floredia is currently taking a break from La Leche League activities but she has been a long-standing presence in the Bristol LLL group. She was running the group with Janet Griffiths when April arrived 11 years ago and had previously worked with other LLL groups. Her wonderful warm personality has been a godsend to many a mother and baby so do get in touch if you have a memory to share. I personally remember ringing Floredia as early in the morning as I thought was decent (I think it was 7am) after having been up all night with Theo (my second) on his first night failing to get him to feed. She was absolutely amazing and immediately focused completely on me and my worries and listened with such empathy and kindness and respect. She then managed to make me laugh and reassured me with just a few words and gave me renewed confidence. I can’t remember exactly what she said but her words worked magic and I relaxed enough to be able to almost immediately sit down and Theo latched on and fed. Oh the relief and joy, it makes me cry to think about it now! Email me at charliestokes76@blueyonder.co.uk

Guest post: Who says we need support?

2010-09-04T21:10:00.002+01:00

Who said we need support? Written by Catherine, an ex-Bristol Leader currently in Perth, Australia. Cath writes about the kindness and friendship she found at LLL meetings. Taken from LLL Bristol's recent newsletter.

I am always stuck for words when a mum comes to me not seeing how a breastfeeding support group could help her, not seeing that a LLL meeting is much more than just listening to a theoretical talk on ‘how to’. Why should she need such a group? She had no problem at all breastfeeding, it was all very natural to her. However often as the discussion unfolds I realise she would have loved to know more about natural weaning or breastfeeding through pregnancy, or just hearing another experienced mum reassuring her on a specific behavior of her son. Is that not all that you can find at a LLL meeting?

Being quite a strong headed and self confident person, one would assume I am not the kind of influence-able person who would easily change her mind or attitude because of others. However I have come to realise how invaluable my network in Bristol was and how it helped me and supported me in my journey into parenting. Not just for breastfeeding or night time parenting, no, it helped me in much more ways than one could imagine and on so many different levels.

Today I want to write to all those women I met in Bristol, to let them know how invaluable their input, their sharing, their teaching, their softness and their smile has meant to me, today I want to tell them that I keep them in my mind everyday, when I feel challenged, when I see my girls happy, when I see how they are blossoming through gentle parenting.

Today I want to thank them.

I feel so grateful I came across LLL at the start of my journey. So blessed I have met women and mums like April, Floredia and Kate who were all LLL leaders when my first one was born. They were such a role modeling for me, such an inspiration in gentle parenting. There was also all the mums, some of them who became my best friends who always had the right words or funny attitude that would lift my hearts on those challenging days. I could make a long list of all those beautiful moments, those special times when we were all in awe of our new babies and completely exhausted from the broken-broken-broken nights. This has created such a strong bond between us, such a treasurable unique smile in my heart. Naively I thought that sort of network was available everywhere, in any city with mums and babes. How wrong was I! This is such an amazing network, such a beautiful group, and even if I know the mums are probably not the same, there is that core group and the leaders who are just so precious. Make the most of it, use it, observe, listen, share, welcome others ways of doing without judging. Just appreciate the difference, enjoy the companionship, embrace the different ways of mothering. Patience is just such a quality I admire. A quality I have truly discovered through other mums going to the meetings in Bristol.

After more than 10 years in Bristol we have decided to move on to different shores (less muddy, more sunny ;-) Everything here is different to UK. Birth, much more medicalised, breastfeeding more discreet, mums groups being very few and mainly organised via the hospital. All our parenting choices which I felt very supported through in Bristol suddenly sound very extreme and slightly coming from another planet. Thankfully I had gained confidence before moving here, thankfully I am very supported by my partner!

Now we have settled down here I so much want to recreate that sort of group, a place where mothers with their babes and their toddlers will find a supportive group to share and chat, to be and to sit back, may be even to learn something new or just be reminded of something gentle. I so wish to give that back as it has been such a major part of my journey, something I would always be grateful for.

To all of you beautiful inspiring mamas: Thank you!

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding - new edition

2010-09-04T21:07:00.002+01:00

Here is a review of the latest edition taken from LLL Bristol's latest newsletter.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, La Leche League International, 8^th edition, 2010. Diane Wiessinger, Diana West & Teresa Pitman

This new edition is a complete reworking of the LLL classic breastfeeding book. It has been written by three great women who between them have many years experience of both breastfeeding their own children and helping women to breastfeed their babies.

The book is funny and easy to read and contains practical information on every aspect of breastfeeding with some lovely clear illustrations. There is an extra chapter about the new approaches to positioning with simple descriptions of ‘laid back’ breastfeeding and tips to get mum and baby working together, as well as help with the more traditional positions. The book covers what you need to know when pregnant, has a chapter on birth and implications for breastfeeding, through to concerns in the early weeks and what to expect feeding an older baby and toddler. Sections on sleep and starting solids are packed with up to date research and myth busting facts.

There are a couple of great sections in the back of the book. One is called Tech Support and gives you concise information on common difficulties that can occur such as colic, jaundice and blocked ducts. The other is called Tear-sheet Toolkit and has a key tips on a subject on one page that you can tear off (or print from the website) and stick on the fridge and refer to until you get the hang of it or that phase has passed, eg Feeding Cues, Waking a Sleepy Newborn, Mastitis, Milk Storage etc.

Each section has mother’s stories in it and internet references for further details including LLL forums. Every LLL Leader relies on this book when helping mothers to breastfeed and leading meetings and it is a source of comfort and reliable information that would be of invaluable support to every breastfeeding woman.

Have a look at it here: http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/product/425/the_womanly_art_of_breastfeeding_8th_edition/default.aspx

Library books online

2010-08-19T21:55:00.005+01:00

Vicky has put all the group's library books on to a Google Document so that you can have a look at all the great books available and email Vicky at bristollalecheleague@gmail.com if you would like to borrow a particular book or if you would like to talk about returning a book that you have.

Vicky has also included a list of all the fantastic information tear off sheets and booklets that LLL publish.

Click here to access the spreadsheet.

Further info on starting solids

2010-08-12T20:34:00.002+01:00

At the most recent meeting we talked about introducing solids and some facts and myths surrounding this. For more information you can take a look at the following:

Starting Solid Foods leaflet published by La Leche League GB

http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/product/74/starting_solid_food_lllgb/default.aspx

Online information from LLL can be found here:

http://www.llli.org/NB/NBsolids.html

Great facts from the Kellymom website about why wait until 6 months:

www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html

More info on Baby Led Weaning:

http://www.rapleyweaning.com/

All this information and a whole lot more is also in the revised edition of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding which has been completely updated by its authors Diane Wiessinger, Diana West and Teresa Pitman who each have masses of experience of helping mums and babies to breastfeed. The book is really easy to read with great illustrations and photos and full of practical information and mother's stories. As Vicky said at the meeting, it is what LLL Leaders refer to all the time. It is bang up to date with all the research on breastfeeding and explains the new approaches to attachment and positioning, and it also talks about the emotional side to breastfeeding and its significance for mother and child. You can get it here:

http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/product/425/the_womanly_art_of_breastfeeding_8th_edition/default.aspx

New breastmilk finds

2010-08-10T21:43:00.003+01:00

Here is an interesting article from the NY Times talking about how breastmilk protects the baby's gut lining and some new findings

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/science/03milk.html?_r=2

can anyone give a lift from Clifton?

2010-08-09T21:15:00.004+01:00

If someone is coming to the meeting from the Clifton area and could give a lift to a mum and her little one, please could they call Charlie on 939 3028. Thank you!

Myths and facts about starting solids

2010-08-08T21:47:00.003+01:00

We're looking forward to seeing you at the next meeting on Wednesday 11 August at 39 Hamilton Rd in Southville. We'll be discussing solids and how to tease out the facts from the wealth of information and advice that surrounds starting them. There will be plenty of time for other questions and shared experiences too so do come even if this topic is not what you are dealing with at the moment.

We have a couple of copies of the much coveted My Child Won't Eat in the library, although as these are now out of print (and apparently £60 second hand on Amazon) there will need to be a deposit for borrowing it! Happily we have other information available too, on this and many other subjects.

Bristol Facebook page

2010-08-08T21:28:00.005+01:00

We are now on Facebook! Vicky has set up a page where you can seek us out, become friends, follow what we are up to and keep us informed. Search for Bristol La Leche League or follow this link. Another good page is Bristol Breastfeeding Mummies.

change in tack from nhs

2010-07-04T10:50:00.003+01:00

Thanks to Jenny for bringing this article from the BBC to my attention. It describes a change in approach in talking about breastfeeding to new mothers, from the 'breast is best' campaign that seems to suggest that breastfeeding is something outside the norm and an added extra, to describing breastfeeding as the normal and simple way to feed a baby. This is something we've discussed in meetings before.

Here is the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10368037.stm

Picnic

2010-06-27T21:28:00.003+01:00

Thank you to all of you who came to the lovely picnic in the park last Wednesday to celebrate National Breastfeeding Week. We had beautiful weather and a great turnout with over 20 mums and many more babies and children playing under the trees and snacking on strawberries. It was gorgeous to see so many good friends and some new faces too.

Picnic in the park

2010-06-17T20:45:00.004+01:00

Come to a picnic in Greville Smythe Park from 10.30am until after the picnic on Wednesday 23 June to celebrate breastfeeding!

All breastfeeding mums, their family and friends are invited to this picnic to highlight National Breastfeeding Week and the general fabulousness of breastfeeding women.

Bring food to share if you can. We will be under the trees by the play equipment. Nearest entrance is the main one off Ashton Rd. Buses 24 and 25 to North St.

Library Book Amnesty

2010-05-04T21:41:00.000+01:00

We are having a library book amnesty! Don’t worry if the book you meant to return many moons ago is still sitting in your living room, or if it has perhaps received some over-enthusiastic reading from a toddler – we have all been there – just return them if you possibly can. Even if you are absolutely sure you don’t have a La Leche League book on your shelf, please could you just double check. Ways to return: you can bring them to a meeting, pass on to a friend who is coming, drop them round to your nearest Leader, post them to me (or Vicky) or otherwise do just ring us and let us know where the book is and we’ll try to think of a way of getting it back.

It's official - Bristol is breastfeeding friendly!

2010-04-22T11:38:00.004+01:00

Great news for Bristol in that UNICEF have accredited us as the first Baby Friendly City in England and Wales.

NHS Bristol and NBT Child Health Partnership have achieved this UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Community Initiative accreditation. Voluntary organisations in Bristol such as La Leche League are recognised has having set the scene for helping this to happen with our presence over many years. Congratulations to all involved!

April Coffee Morning

2010-04-22T11:34:00.004+01:00

We're looking forward to catching up with folks at the Coffee Morning at Jenny's lovely house on 28 April. This informal meeting is open to everyone to talk about anything they like. We will be focusing a bit on toddlers and nighttime parenting ideas, but do come along if you have a younger baby too or just want to hang out and have a chat over a cup of tea with other mums.

Coffee morning on 24 March

2010-03-20T13:22:00.006Z

Vicky, one of the Bristol Leaders, has unfortunately broken her arm recently and is unable to drive. Vicky was going to lead the next Coffee Morning on 24 March on the subject of Nighttime Parenting for toddlers, but this will now be postponed until the next Coffee Morning on Wed 28 April. There will not be a Leader present at this Coffee Morning, but it is still going ahead at Jenny's house and you are more than welcome to share experiences and ideas on this topic anyway.

If you'd like to contact a Leader to talk about this (or any other) subject in the meantime, then do call us up (our numbers are in the left hand column). Vicky would prefer to be emailed at the moment on vicky.dickson@hotmail.co.uk

Ups and downs meeting

2010-03-16T20:47:00.003Z

It was lovely to see new faces as well as familiar ones at the last meeting at Lorraine's house. We covered lots of ground on the subject of breastfeeding challenges.

Thrush was one of the areas we talked about. This can occur at any time during breastfeeding and if undiagnosed can be a source of soreness and even shooting pains in the breast. It also can cause babies to be fussy at the breast and sometimes refuse to feed because their mouths are sore. There is a leaflet written by LLL on thrush which you can get from the website, http://www.laleche.org.uk/ (Quickfind number 2806) or you can ring a Leader if you want to find out more.

Another source of difficulties in latching on a young baby that we talked about is tongue-tie. This is not always spotted at birth and it can vary in its severity. Tongue-tie is when the skin attaching the tongue to the base of the mouth is too tight for the tongue to stretch out far enough to cover the lower gums and therefore to draw enough breast tissue in to the mouth. Less commonly it can affect the skin between the upper lip and the gum. Babies with tongue-tie can struggle to latch on, coming off and on the breast repeatedly. In young babies it can be treated simply and it is worth checking out if you have had help with positioning your baby and still struggle to latch them on.

Which brings us to positioning! This seemingly simple act of positioning your baby at the breast to enable them to feed effectively can be straightforward for some mums and newborns, and a struggle for some babies for weeks. Many of the mums at the meeting talked about ways in which they had managed to find positions that worked for them, and how they had needed help in the beginning to learn the art of breastfeeding. Seeing other babies feeding is a good start, but also getting skilled help when you need it can make all the difference. It is very possible to talk through getting a good latch on the phone, so if you are having difficulties, do ring a Leader for help. Some good leaflets are 'Nipple Know-How for Breastfeeding Mothers', 'Beginning Breastfeeding' and 'Positioning Your Baby at the Breast', or alternatively a 'New Mum's Pack', all from the La Leche website above.

Several mums talked about how they worked hard to identify their baby's early feeding cues such as rooting, putting a fist to the mouth and nuzzling in to mum, so that they could get a feed started before their baby became upset, when it became more of a struggle.

Many mums talked about the vital importance of getting the support needed to see them through the difficult times. Friends, family and other breastfeeding mothers can offer help, encouragement and ideas that can make a huge difference when everything seems a struggle. Seeing how other babies latch on, getting tips on various ways to hold and carry your baby and building up confidence to feed in public without a mountain of pillows can make a big impact on the life a woman with a newborn. This support can be found at La Leche meetings, through the website (especially the forums) and telephone helpline. If you want to meet up with local mums outside the meetings, then add your comment to the post about 'Connecting with other mothers' and go for it!

Meeting at Lorraine's house

2010-03-09T12:40:00.002Z

Vicky, April and I are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow - Wed 10 March - at Lorraine's house in Cotham. Ring one of us for directions if you are unsure. Meeting details and our phone numbers are in left hand column of this website.

Do come along if you are new to the group, or if your baby is feeling fussy tomorrow - they seem to like the company of the other babies!

Love Charlie

Connecting with other mothers & internet forums

2010-03-01T20:56:00.006Z

I have had a few calls from mothers who would like to meet up with other breastfeeding mums but who can't make the meetings for various reasons.

If you are looking to connect up in this way, perhaps because you have recently become a mother, or your friends are starting to wean, or you are back at work etc, then perhaps you could use this blog to make contact. If you want you could leave a comment below with some way of contacting you and hopefully other mothers in a similar situation will read it and get in touch.

You can always access La Leche friends online at the forums: http://forums.llli.org/ At this Mother-to-Mother Forum users can post messages and receive instant responses from other users who are online. Once logged in a user can start new discussion topics, or "threads" and respond to other users' threads. The forum is organised into general categories and offers suport and discussion on a wide range of topics - from general breastfeeding support for mothers feeding newborns, infants or toddlers, to special situations like breastfeeding premature babies or multiples, along with a variety of other mothering topics such as nutrition, starting solids, gentle discipline, pregnancy and childbirth, and combining work and breastfeeding.

oops!

2010-02-27T15:24:00.002Z

Ooops the Bristol mum on the bus apparently made the story up! Nice to know that Bristolians have common sense after all!

Breastfeeding in public

2010-02-25T20:34:00.003Z

You may have seen the front page of the Evening Post today with an article about a mother who was ordered off a bus for breastfeeding her 6 week old baby (http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/ ). The mother, Amy, was feeding her baby, Emily, on a crowded bus when the bus driver said there had been a complaint of indecent exposure and that she needed to leave the bus. When she refused he threatened to call the police and she was left in the rain.

It is unbelievable that anyone could view breastfeeding as indecent exposure, but it is a sad reminder that some people do hold such confused opinions.

Babies have a right to receive human milk when they need it. Human milk is a drink, food and vital comfort rolled in to one. Mothers who respond to their baby's needs in this way should be congratulated rather than made to feel an outcast.

In fact, it has been illegal to ask a mother to stop breastfeeding a baby of any age in public for more than 30 years, and a while ago Barbara Follett, Deputy Minister for Women and Equality, wrote to La Leche League to clarify a woman's right to breastfeed in public. In her letter she said:

‘Like most people, the Government believes that breast is best for babies. That is why we are doing everything we can to encourage mothers to breastfeed and to make sure that they are aware of its benefits.
But, for many mothers, the uncertainty surrounding where they can breastfeed is a real deterrent. Babies do not get hungry to order and mothers have to be confident that they can feed their infants in a café, restaurant or shop without the embarrassment of having the owner ask them to stop. In fact, this type of discrimination has been unlawful for women with babies of any age for more than thirty years, and the mother could challenge the owner under the Sex Discrimination Act. We strengthened this Act with extra 'maternity' protection, which means that if the baby is less than six months old the mother could also challenge the owner on the grounds of her maternity. Some people also think that women can be charged with indecency for breastfeeding in a public place. This is, I am glad to say, utter nonsense and completely wrong.
But, as you can see from the above, the law is not as clear as it could be. People are unsure of their rights and their responsibilities in this area. That is why the Government will be using its forthcoming Equality Bill to make it crystal clear that it is simply not acceptable to shoo breastfeeding mothers and their babies out of places like coffee shops, public galleries and restaurants. We hope that this will give women complete confidence that the law is on their side when they are breastfeeding their babies.’

I hope this has cleared any doubts anyone may have had about breastfeeding in public. Remember that the vast majority of people see it as the wonderful, life giving thing that it is and fully support us breastfeeding mums.

Beginning breastfeeding

2010-02-14T21:19:00.004Z

Thanks to those who came to the last meeting and shared their ideas for getting breastfeeding started off well. It was lovely to hear your experiences and plans for the forthcoming births. We discussed skin-to-skin contact and 'biological nurturing'. More information can be found at www.biologicalnurturing.com

There are great tear off sheets and leaflets available to buy from the La Leche League GB website covering many topics including positioning your baby at the breast, avoiding sore nipples and adjusting to motherhood. There is a great 'New Mum's' pack of leaflets that is highly recommended. Don't forget the Frequently Asked Questions section of www.llli.org which covers everything you might need to know in the middle of the night!

love Charlie

Next meeting and food

2010-02-07T15:50:00.004Z

I'm looking forward to seeing you at the next meeting at my house on Wednesday and hearing your thoughts on getting breastfeeding off to a good start.

Bring some food to share, if you can. But I have a request too: as some of you already know, my baby Theo has lots of allergies, so I would really appreciate it if you could avoid bringing peanuts or humous along, though, as they are potentially dangerous to him. He is allergic to many other things too, so if you could watch little ones while they eat and clear up and spills or crumbs afterwards, this would be really helpful.

Many thanks!
Charlie

The Food Of Love

2010-01-26T20:56:00.003Z

I recently attended a talk and slide show by author and cartoonist Kate Evans on her book 'The Food Of Love'. It was hilarious and heartening and the cartoons cover every possible eventuality for the breastfeeding mother. Here is a link to her cartoon on co-sleeping http://www.thefoodoflove.org/breastfeed-in-your-sleep.htm

'The Food of Love' is a new addition to our library too, so you can borrow it if you would like to see more. I also like her 'Mama Sutra' ...

STOP PRESS - CHANGE TO MEETING LOCATION

2010-01-12T10:26:00.002Z

CHANGE IN MEETING LOCATION - the meeting tomorrow, Wed 13 Jan, will now be held at Charlie's house:

39 Hamilton Rd, Southville, BS2 1PA

because Lorraine's house is so difficult to reach in the icy conditions. Ring 0117 939 3028 for directions. Same timings: 10.15am to 12pm. See you there! Charlie

Full term breastfeeding

2010-01-10T16:23:00.004Z

There was an article in the Guardian yesterday (09.10.10) about breastfeeding beyond babyhood. The article was based on an interview with Ann Sinnott on her new book Breastfeeding Older Children and you can read it here http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jan/09/breastfeeding-older-children

I felt that the article just focused on a very few extreme cases and perpetuated the usual view in our culture of breastfeeding as an out of control impulse by children that must be quashed by the adults in their lives. It also trotted out the usual myths of women breastfeeding to 'satisfy their own needs' and views of it being distasteful and weird. The author stated that breastfeeding is a biological imperative to feed as often - and as long - as possible. She didn't mention what happens in the vast majority of cases in the normal course of breastfeeding, so I thought I would fill in some of the missing facts. Here is what The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding says on the subject:

'Why do mothers begin worrying about ending breastfeeding almost as soon as they've started? No doubt there are many reasons, but we suspect that not the least among them is the fact that society often expects babies to be weaned early. Mothers and uneasy about the thought that their babies might still be nursing after everyone expects them to be weaned from the breast.

We don't agree with society's attitudes about early weaning. We believe that ideally the breastfeeding relationship should continue until the baby outgrows the need.

One mother who had weaned because of criticsm from others, had this to say about her decision: "I let pressure from people prematurely end one of the most meaningful experiences I have had with my son...I wish I had it to do all over again now that I am more sure of myself." '

The facts are that human milk continues to provide special benefits for a baby as long as he is breastfed. The immunological benefits are matched by the unique way that breastfeeding can satisfy emotional needs. The breastfeeding relationship changes as the child gets older and the role of responding to the child's need for love and affection takes over from a baby's need for food. At some point, usually gradually, the baby's dependence on mother lessens and he takes steps out in to the world. When a baby does not wean by around a year a mother may worry that this means he is too dependent on her and fear that she is stopping him from growing independent. The Womanly Art again:

'But weaning is a step toward growing up and, like walking or talking, a child takes these steps according to his own timetable. All children stop nursing sooner or later. Some have the need to continue the nursing relationship longer than others - but they do grow out of it eventually. And still they do not become overly dependent. We have been reassured on this point many times over because we have observed first hand hundreds of babies who were considered "late weaners".'

The article shows up the prejudices in society that still surround breastfeeding, but hearteningly it also quotes very supportive comments from husbands and partners of the breastfeeding mothers. Also, the comments added to the article online have been overwhelmingly positive and enlightened.

For research on natural weaning age see this article by Katherine Dettwyler: www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html Her research is detailed in the book 'Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives' which you can borrow from our library.

To read about the situation from a mother's own persective, see this article written by Annalisa Barbieri about breastfeeding her 4 year old, which was sent to me by Lorraine: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/why-i-still-breastfeed-my-fouryearold-400171.html

My favourite term is 'full term breastfeeding' which seems more approprate than 'extended' or 'long term'. What do you think?

If you are breastfeeding a toddler then come along to our toddler coffee mornings (see Meetings for dates and venues) and share your experiences and views with other mums in the same situation.

Breastfeeding in the snow

2010-01-10T16:13:00.003Z

Hope you are enjoying the cold snap. Lucas has been sliding down the road outside our house on baking trays and loving it! Lots of the neighbours are out and all the children are playing together. It would be great if they could always play together outside this way. I am thinking of ways of reclaiming the streets for the important job of playing, let me know what you think...

The feeling of being snowed in can be fun for a bit, but there are plenty of scary tales around of friends being stuck in cars with their babies for ages (9hrs in one case). The breastfeeding mums have such an advantage in this case and don't have to deal with the awful situation of a hungry baby. Here is a link to La Leche's advice on breastfeeding in an emergency http://www.llli.org/FAQ/emergency.html

Alcohol and breastfeeding

2009-12-18T14:49:00.003Z

Seasonal Indulgences:
You may well get questions about alcohol at this time of year. Here is useful information –

alcohol passes freely in and out of b/milk
it takes 2-3 hours for alcohol in one serving of beer or wine to be eliminated from an 8.5 stone woman
it takes 13 hours for alcohol from the end of a session of drinking to be eliminated from a 8.5 stone woman
babies are not put off by alcoholic taste
alcohol doesn’t make babies sleep more, it can produce changes in baby’s sleep pattern which may mean less sleep overall
alcohol peaks in b/milk 30-60 minutes after drinking on empty stomach, peaks 60-90 minutes if drunk with food

The effects of alcohol on baby are directly related to the amount a mum consumes,
therefore the occasional drink, or regular light drinking (1 or less drinks daily) present no harm to a nursing baby. Tip for mums – consider the timing of your breastfeed: have a good b/feed, then have your drink to give time for a gap between drinking and the next nursing.
All of this information is also to be considered in relation to the age of the baby – newborns with more immature livers are more susceptible than an older baby who may go a little longer between feeds or also be on solids.
Caffeine and theobromine in chocolate (similar to caffeine in its effects) may cause symptoms of over-stimulation – wide-eyed, fussy, active, alert, but moderate consumption doesn’t usually cause any problems for b/fed babies. So do enjoy your choccy!
Nicotine is a different story, although even here you have to be a pretty heavy smoker (more than 20 daily) for this to cause significant problems for breastfeeding. So it’s always better to breastfeed than not, even if you do smoke. Nicotine does reduce prolactin levels, the milk-making hormone, which results in the creamy portion of the milk being almost 20% less in the milk of smokers. If a mum is using nicotine gum, she’s cautioned to leave 2-3 hours after using a gum product before breastfeeding because the gum produces variable levels of nicotine plasma, whereas nicotine levels are more consistently lower for patch users. Women who smoke are at greater risk of developing breast abscess.
All of this sounds a bit of a kill-joy, but don’t let it be! – enjoy the odd drink, munch on the goodies, watch out that you’re not doing too much just because it’s Christmas (always a risk for mastitis), and feed the baby!

Festive fever

2009-12-13T12:18:00.005Z

Hi everyone

I enjoyed seeing you at the last meeting and hearing all your plans and ideas for enjoying / surviving the Christmas holidays. I vere from the no sugar approach to the laissez faire approach from day to day as Christmas madness sets in.

As we talked about at the meeting; looking out for our own needs (for quiet space, for a supportive phone call with a sympathetic friend, for regular slow burning snacks) together with those of our baby or child (not missing or postponing feeds, giving quiet time when needed, respecting a child's rhythms within the chaos) is the aim over the Christmas holidays, but however hard we try, we sometimes get blown off course and it is easy to miss a feed or go a little longer between them and find a blocked duct has developed. If this happens, remember to act quickly by resting, applying heat and feeding frequently. This seemingly simple approach is very effective in avoiding mastitis if done soon enough. More information can be found at: http://www.llli.org/FAQ/mastitis.html

As well as mastitis calls to the LLL Helpline at the time of year, we leaders are expecting calls from mums who are dealing with conflicting advice from family members or friends that they see over the holidays, and whose mothering approaches may differ from our own. If you are feeling less than supported, or would like ideas on how to deflect criticism over the Christmas turkey, then check out: http://www.llli.org/FAQ/criticism.html

Keep checking the blog for the upcoming new meeting titles, dates and NEW locations. These will also all be in the newsletter which will come out early in the New Year.

I look forward to seeing you in January and hearing your festive tales. Charlie x

There's a breastfed baby in your life

2009-10-17T12:01:00.003+01:00

It was great to see you at the last meeting about making way for the breastfed baby in your life and to hear your tips for how to fit eating, shopping and having a bit of time for ourselves into life with a breastfed baby.

The book Baby Wisdom by Deborah Jackson has lots of ideas for how parents around the world manage a baby's needs whilst getting on with their lives, and it is easy to dip in and out of if you have only a little time.

Thanks to all of you who donated and shopped for La Leche, and with a few additional sales at the last meeting, our fundraising total is now nearly £140!

Fundraiser update

2009-09-16T10:11:00.002+01:00

Thank you to everyone who donated so generously to our Fundraiser last Saturday. It was also great to see so many of you on the day. With your help we managed to raise over £100! We are really pleased with this amount, especially because there was so much else happening on that day that the sale was a bit quieter than usual.

There are still some lovely baby clothes left over and a few maternity clothes too, so these will be on sale at the next meeting at my house on Wed 14 October.

Forthcoming fundraiser

2009-08-16T12:25:00.004+01:00

Everyone is invited to a fundraiser for La Leche League on Saturday 12 September, 10am to 2pm, at a Car Boot Sale at The Southville Centre, Beauley Rd, Southville. All profits will go to support LLL Bristol. So we need your help - have a clear out and pass on to us any items that we could sell (clothes, toys, books, household things etc) or make us up your favourite recipe - everything you can give us will be very much appreciated!

Anything you have to donate can be dropped off beforehand at either Charlie's house (39 Hamilton Rd, Southville) or April's house (53 Zetland Rd, off Gloucester Rd) or you can bring things along on the day of the sale.

The La Leche League table will be in the Beauley Room, which is behind the main hall. We hope to see you there!

shared lunch

2009-06-24T15:19:00.003+01:00

Dear Ladies,

It's almost time to go for me :(

My last meeting will be 8th of July. We thought it would be nice for having a shared lunch after the meeting. So bring something to share with the other mums and babies/ children.

Coby

Welcome Charlie!!

2009-05-18T14:17:00.003+01:00

We've got another leader! Charlie welcome to the group of Bristol leaders. Well done and we hope you enjoy your "new" function.

growing charts

2009-05-18T14:12:00.002+01:00

Dear ladies,

I've spoken with some mums about the new growing charts and I've promissed them to put them on the website.

UK-WHO Growth Charts: Early Years
The new UK-WHO growth charts for children from birth to 4 years of age are now available. The charts have been developed as a project undertaken within the Science and Research Department led by Professor Charlotte Wright from University of Glasgow and funded by the Department of Health.
The charts are available in an A4 format and as 6 separate charts for insertion in the Personal Child Heatlh Record (PCHR). There is also a new specialist low birthweight A4 chart for births from 23 weeks gestation .

http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/Research/UK-WHO-Growth-Charts

Coby

national breastfeeding awareness week.

2009-05-12T19:52:00.001+01:00

National Breastfeeding Awareness Week 10 -16 May 2009

Breastfeeding: every day makes a difference to your baby

The theme of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week this year is support, and the strapline , ‘Breastfeeding: every day makes a difference to your baby’, reflects the message that each day a woman continues to breastfeed is another day her child receives important health benefits from its mother. If women receive support - whether it be from a friend or family member, a health professional, or volunteer breastfeeding supporter, they are likely to breastfeed for longer.

Research indicates breastmilk gives babies all the nutrients they need for the first six months of life and helps protect them from infection and diseases such as gastro-intestinal infections, ear infections, urine infections, eczema and obesity in later childhood. Mothers also benefit from breastfeeding. It can reduce the risk of against ovarian cancer, breast cancer and weak bones later in life.

During National Breastfeeding Awareness Week the new UK-World Health Organisation growth charts are being introduced to England for the first time, providing accurate guidance on child growth. The charts, which have been developed for the Department of Health by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health will offer important reassurance for parents of breastfed babies, and will replace current charts that were based on predominately formula fed babies. The new charts will help parents and healthcare professionals identify children at risk of obesity at an early age. The charts are based on measurements of over 7000 children worldwide – selected because they were growing up in healthy circumstances: breast fed children of non smoking mothers, not living in poverty. Research has shown that breastfed babies exhibit a more desirable pattern of growth and are associated with healthier outcomes, including being less likely to become obese in later life.

Features of the new growth charts include a height predictor and a chart specifically for premature infants. For the first time, they will also include parent friendly instructions. In addition to the new growth charts, the Department of Health is extending Breast Buddy, an initiative introduced last year which encourages women to breastfeed for longer by encouraging them to nominate a buddy from within their circle of friends and family to provide practical and emotional support. This is part of the Department of Health’s campaign to address the inequalities that exist in infant feeding practices.

La Leche League GB supports National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. La Leche League is an international nonprofit, nonsectarian organisation which, for over 50 years, has been dedicated to providing education, information and mother-to-mother support and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed.

LLL Leaders are mothers who have themselves breastfed for 12 months or longer. They provide telephone counselling, email support and local group meetings. They have leaflets on a wide range of breastfeeding questions, information on more unusual situations, access to a Medical Advisory Panel and can often lend out books covering various aspects of pregnancy and child care.

LLL's national telephone helpline (0845 120 2 918 ) connects mothers directly to an accredited Leader, while the organisation' s website (http://www. laleche.org. uk/) includes an online help form to which an individual Leader responds to help each mother directly with her concerns. All our Leaders are volunteers and work from their own homes while looking after their own families.

Breastfeeding awareness week

2009-05-01T11:04:00.001+01:00

Breastfeeding Awareness Week Get Together

Every year since 1993 the Department of Health has run the Breastfeeding Awareness Week to raise awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding, increase social acceptance of breastfeeding and promote support for breastfeeding. This year it will run from Sunday 10 to Sunday 17 May. If you would like to know more about it check out the NHS website: http://www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk/en/fe/page.asp?n1=5&n2=13 or http://tinyurl.com/cvxgvd

We will be celebrating with a gathering in Greville Smythe Park in Southville (Ashton Road, close to North Street) on Tuesday 12 May from 2-4pm. Please come and join us, bring your friends and family and a snack to share if you would like to. If the weather is questionable, then check the website or the yahoo group for further instructions.

A new leader!

2009-04-29T13:50:00.003+01:00

We've got a new leader among us! Her name is Vicky, congratulations and well done!!

a taste of the newsletter

2009-04-03T22:33:00.006+01:00

The Newsletter

Charlie is busy working on The Newsletter which will come out with May's eletter. If you have any stories about experiences in feeding with special circumstances, birth announcements and other local breastfeeding news do let Charlie know either at one of the meetings or by email, call one of the leaders for her email adres.

Baby Led Weaning Survey
If you would like to help out with some research at the University of Nottingham on Baby Led Weaning please email Dr Ellen Townsend (call on of the leaderrs for her email adres). She is looking for parents of children (currently 20-72 months) who have been weaned using Baby Led Weaning to complete a questionnaires on their experience of BLW and their child's food preferences.

News from the Bristol Precious Drops Campaign - April Whincop
The Bristol Precious Drops campaign organised a zip ride into the Avon Gorge on 28th March. I did it as well as my son Ralph! It was pretty scary stepping off into a very big and high space, and I did fly down at 30 mph - but I'm very proud of myself for doing it! Big congratulations to the Infant Feeding Team at Southmead and Eva Fernandes at Born - as well as lots of others - for doing such a lot of organisation to make the day possible. Let's hope lots of money has been raised for the future milk bank unit.

Ed note: Well done April and Ralph! We are now seeing a more adventurous side of you we didn't know existed!

Breastfeeding Awareness Week
Breastfeeding Awareness Week is the second week of May, but as yet we have no firm plans as we are still discussing a venue. We will let you know in the next eletter what we are doing in time to be able to make plans to participate.

If you are interested in the whole newsletter, please join the yahoogroup for free, at the left side of this website.

101 reasons to breastfeed

2009-01-13T20:42:00.002Z

Tomorrow it will be our first meeting of this year Yeh!! I really like the topic this time "how breastfeeding helps mothers". This will be our first meeting at Samanta's house, I hope you all can find it. We will talk a bit about the 101 reasons to breastfeed. It's a long list but its an amazing list. They should make a TV program about it, saying that have a look at the next link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcjKeDyTZP8

I don't know this person and haven't watch the rest of her movies, its only this one I know I love it.

Coby

happy new year!

2009-01-07T15:19:00.003Z

dear all,

First a happy new year! I hope you all had a great time!

For me this is my last year in the UK, I'm a bit sad about it, because we have a great time in Bristol. But it would be nice too see our family a bit more often. Anyway!

The new spring letter is out, with new dates and venues! Check before you go! If you don't know where to go, give me a call and I'll help you. If you haven't signed up yet for the newsletter, this might be the right time, it only cost you a couple minutes. Click in the left corner and the rest will follow!

X Coby

september meetings

2008-08-31T11:02:00.005+01:00

Series Meeting:

As these meetings are held in people's homes, we ask that you respect the times given.
All series meetings are usually from 10.30 - 11.30 am so it is advisable to arrive at 10.15. There is time to socialise and browse through the library outside the main meeting between 11.30 and midday or before it starts. Coffee Mornings run from 10.30-11.30.

Wed Sept 10th Series 1 - "Breastfeeding Begins Before Your Due Date"
Charlie's house:
Coffee Morning

There is a coffee morning this month at Coby's house.

Wed Sept 24th 10.30- 11.30 - Coffee morning
Coby’s house: . Ring: 0117 910 9676 for further directions.

Baby led weaning

2008-08-13T13:48:00.001+01:00

dear all,

it was so nice too see you all. We've talked about baby led weaning and i've promessed you a good article by Jill Rapley, she wrote a paper about how she thinks how solides should be offered too baby's. you can find it here http//www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/blw/engels.html

We also talked about quick healty meals. A lot of mums uses their pasta/pizza or lasagna saus for "hidding" the veggies.

If your child likes pies you could make mashed patatoes with all kind of veggies. My child likes a bit of meat in it, bacon for example. But if your child adores nuts, why don't you try a bit nuts trough the "pie".

"children do not grow because of what they eat; they eat because they are growing."

13 august eating with toddlers

2008-08-05T15:19:00.000+01:00

Bring your favorite recipes with you. This meeting will go all about eating with toddlers. If you're baby is not eating solid food, you are still very welcome.

27 of August the first informal meeting in Cotham Gardens park.

XX

coffeemorning 30th of July swap or sell morning

2008-07-08T17:00:00.000+01:00

This morning we have space for swapping or selling toys, maternity clothes etc. etc. If you have nothing to swap or sell, just want to chat, that is fine too, you are always welcome. We have the donation tin on the table for covering the costs of this morning.
We'll have the library too with good books you can borrow. There will be a leader if you have questions or concerns.
Call Coby for any questions 0117-9109676

Informal Coffee Morning 30th of July

2008-06-18T17:57:00.000+01:00

There will be no informal coffee morning this month. the next one will be at Coby's the 30th of July. There will be a a park outing on 4th Wed. in August which Floredia will attend. See next months eletter for details and what to do if it rains.

Coffee morning

2008-05-15T11:53:00.001+01:00

Wednesday 28st of May there will be a coffee morning at Coby's house. For more details lllcoby@yahoo.com

monthly meetings

2008-04-28T13:33:00.000+01:00

14 th May Series 1
How breastfeeding enhances our lives

11th June Series 2
The real needs of the older baby

9th July Series 3
Breastfeeding challenges – bumps along the road

13th Aug Series 4
Recipes for success: eating with toddlers

All Series meetings will take place at Zetland Rd, Redland. (Just off Gloucester Rd.) ‘Phone April for directions.

Meetings are from 10.30 – 11.30 am. There is time to socialize and browse through the library outside the main meeting between 10.15 and midday.

These Series meetings are designed for pregnant women, mothers breastfeeding young or older babies and also for mothers with toddlers who may or may not still be breastfeeding.

All breastfeeding mothers are welcome at all meetings, where you are welcome to share your current concerns whether or not they are part of the meeting focus

If you want more information of directions. Please sent an email to lllcoby @ yahoo.com (remove the empty space)

Welcome

2008-04-03T12:56:00.000+01:00

La Leche League mission is to help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.

La Leche League is an international, nonprofit, nonsectarian organization dedicated to helping women who want to breastfeed.

National helpline 08451202918