Rachel Evans
La Leche League International (LLLI) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that organizes advocacy, education, and training related to breastfeeding. It was founded in 1956 by seven women, including Marian Thompson, Mary White, and Viola Lennon, who were motivated by their Catholic faith and dedication to natural family planning. The name La Leche was derived from a Roman Catholic shrine in Florida dedicated to Our Lady of La Leche, a Catholic title for the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the infant Jesus. Today, La Leche League has expanded globally, with groups in various countries and a presence in about 89 nations. Despite its initial Catholic roots, the organization has evolved to embrace diversity and equality, striving to be accessible to all who seek breastfeeding support.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 1956 |
| Founders | Marian Thompson, Mary White, Mary Ann Cahill, Edwina Froehlich, Mary Ann Kerwin, Viola Lennon, and Betty Wagner |
| Number of founders | 7 |
| Religion of founders | Catholic |
| Philosophy | Encouraging breastfeeding |
| Current number of countries present in | 89 |
| Number of local groups | 2,000 |
| First group outside the US | Jonquière, Quebec, Canada |
| Year the first group outside the US was formed | 1960 |
| Year La Leche League became La Leche League International, Inc. (LLLI) | 1964 |
| Number of countries LLLI was present in when it became LLLI | 4 |
| Year the first group in Great Britain was started | 1973 |
| Year LLL Italy was founded | 1979 |
| Year LLL Vlaanderen was founded | 2011 |
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What You'll Learn
La Leche League was founded by seven Catholic women
At the time, breastfeeding was not universally accepted or supported, and physicians warned of the challenges mothers could face. The La Leche League, named after a Roman Catholic shrine in Florida, provided a discreet way for mothers to seek information and support. The group emphasised natural parenting and encouraged mothers to spend more time with their children and feel good in their bodies.
Over time, La Leche League grew internationally, with groups in various countries and autonomous organisations in Great Britain and Italy. By the 1970s and 1980s, it had gained significant influence, with 54% of American women nursing and La Leche training leaders for 4,000 local groups. The group also adapted to the changing times, revising their advice to support working mothers.
Today, La Leche League International (LLLI) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation present in about 68 to 89 countries. While it tends to distance itself from its Catholic roots, the organisation continues to promote breastfeeding and provide mother-to-mother support worldwide.
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The organisation promotes breastfeeding and natural parenting
La Leche League International (LLLI) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation that promotes breastfeeding and natural parenting. It was founded in 1956 by seven Catholic women: Marian Thompson, Mary White, Mary Ann Cahill, Edwina Froehlich, Mary Ann Kerwin, Viola Lennon, and Betty Wagner. The name "La Leche" comes from the Spanish word for milk. The group's emphasis on natural parenting and breastfeeding grew out of their dedication to natural family planning and their understanding of the importance of the Catholic natural law perspective.
The organisation's philosophy centres around mother-to-mother support and recognising the importance of mothering through breastfeeding. They provide education, advocacy, and training related to breastfeeding and have groups in numerous countries, including the United States, Great Britain, Italy, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, and more. In recent years, LLLI has made efforts to improve diversity and equality to better support all mothers seeking breastfeeding assistance.
LLLI's early publications, such as "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding," encouraged mothers to spend more time with their children and feel good in their bodies. The group also advocated for natural childbirth and promoted the idea that nursing was a powerful means of communicating love. This stance was influenced by their Catholic faith and the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary breastfeeding the infant Jesus, known as "Our Lady of La Leche."
Over time, La Leche League evolved to accommodate working mothers and the changing social landscape. While some members resisted certifying working women as local leaders, the organisation revised its materials to offer practical advice to all mothers who wanted to breastfeed. This pivot allowed La Leche to enter the mainstream, and by 1980, 54% of American women were nursing. The organisation's influence extended beyond the United States, with groups in various countries and contributions to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA).
Today, La Leche League continues to promote breastfeeding and natural parenting, offering support and resources to mothers around the world. Their impact has been significant, transforming parenting practices and infant healthcare while creating a consensus that breastfeeding is superior to formula feeding.
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It has about 2,000 local groups in more than 70 countries
La Leche League International (LLLI) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation that advocates for, educates about, and trains people on breastfeeding. It was founded in 1956 by seven Catholic women: Marian Thompson, Mary White, Mary Ann Cahill, Edwina Froehlich, Mary Ann Kerwin, Viola Lennon, and Betty Wagner. The women were inspired to start a support group after a church picnic where they were breastfeeding and other mothers expressed their preference for breastfeeding but noted the lack of information and help available. The name "La Leche" comes from the Spanish word for milk.
Despite its Catholic roots, La Leche League today tends to distance itself from its religious origins. However, the original founders viewed nursing as a means of communicating the love of God to their children and the world. Over time, the organisation grew, and by 1980, La Leche had 4,000 local groups, with 54% of American women nursing.
La Leche League has expanded globally, with about 2,000 local groups in more than 70 countries. It has a presence in various countries, including Great Britain, Italy, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Argentina, Austria, and Vlaanderen. The first La Leche League group outside the United States was formed in 1960 in Jonquière, Quebec, Canada. In 1964, La Leche League became La Leche League International, Inc. (LLLI), with groups in Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. Today, it continues to promote breastfeeding and provide support to mothers worldwide.
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La Leche League initially distanced itself from its Catholic roots
La Leche League International (LLLI) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that organizes advocacy, education, and training related to breastfeeding. It was founded in 1956 by seven women—Marian Thompson, Mary White, Mary Ann Cahill, Edwina Froehlich, Mary Ann Kerwin, Viola Lennon, and Betty Wagner. These women were devout Catholics who wanted to encourage breastfeeding and promote natural family planning. They derived the name "La Leche" from a Roman Catholic shrine in Florida dedicated to Our Lady of La Leche, a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a statue of her breastfeeding the infant Jesus Christ.
Despite its Catholic roots, La Leche League has distanced itself from its religious origins over time. The organization's focus on natural parenting and attachment parenting grew out of the founders' dedication to natural family planning and their understanding of the importance of the Catholic natural law perspective. Nursing was seen as a powerful means of communicating the love of God to their children and to the world. However, as the group evolved, it began to emphasize the importance of mothering through breastfeeding rather than any specific religious doctrine.
In the 1970s, La Leche League expanded internationally, with groups forming in Canada, Great Britain, and beyond. During this time, the organization also began to shift its focus to include a wider range of modern family situations and feeding options. By 1980, La Leche League had approximately 70 leaders and was present in about 89 countries. The organization continued to grow and evolve, and in 1981, it was granted consultative status with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
While La Leche League initially distanced itself from its Catholic roots, it is important to recognize the impact of its founders' religious beliefs on the early development of the organization. The combination of theological, feminist, and medical viewpoints fueled the success of La Leche League and contributed to its unique approach to breastfeeding advocacy and support. Today, La Leche League continues to evolve and adapt to meet the needs of mothers and babies worldwide, offering a diverse and inclusive perspective on breastfeeding and motherhood.
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The group's philosophy emphasises the importance of motherhood
The La Leche League, founded in 1956, is a group that emphasizes the importance of motherhood and breastfeeding. The group was started by seven women, including Marian Tompson, who were mostly Catholic housewives and mothers themselves. They considered themselves early feminists and their meetings anticipated the consciousness-raising groups of the women's movement.
The group's philosophy emphasizes the importance of motherhood by encouraging mothers to prioritize their children over housework and to feel good in their bodies. La Leche urged mothers to "toss aside housework to spend more time with their children". The group also promoted the idea that breastfeeding was better than bottle-feeding, as it was more natural, more nutritious, and sustained a deeper mother-baby attachment. This stance was considered radical at the time, as most women in the United States bottle-fed their babies.
La Leche's philosophy also called for mothers to be constantly available to their nursing babies. The group opposed working motherhood, stating in their book, "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding," that "our plea to any mother who is thinking about taking an outside job is, 'if at all possible, don't.'". However, as society changed and more women with young children started working, the group revised their stance and offered practical advice to working mothers.
The group's emphasis on motherhood and breastfeeding had a significant impact, with La Leche training leaders for 4,000 local groups by 1980. They also started programs in Latin America and began training poor women to counsel each other about breastfeeding in the housing projects of Chicago. Today, La Leche League International (LLLI) has groups in various countries, including Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand, Bulgaria, China, the Dominican Republic, and Great Britain.
The La Leche League's philosophy continues to emphasize the importance of motherhood and breastfeeding, providing support and education to mothers worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, La Leche League was started by seven Catholic women in Chicago in 1956. The women wanted to encourage breastfeeding and help their friends learn to breastfeed.
La Leche League grew into an organization with several million members worldwide, known for its pathbreaking promotion of breastfeeding. It helped create a consensus that breastfeeding is far better for babies and mothers than infant formula.
The original founders of La Leche League saw nursing as a powerful means of communicating the love of God to their children and to the world. Their love of natural parenting grew as a result of their dedication to natural family planning and their understanding of the importance of the Catholic natural law perspective.
