Viola Lennon, co-Founder of La Leche League International and co-author of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, passed away last week. Quite the pioneer, to say the least, the death of Lennon marks the end of an era.
Lennon credited her mother with having the strongest influence on her breastfeeding mindset. She stated, "My mother portrayed breastfeeding as an enjoyable experience that brings you close to your baby." (And that she did...10 babies!)
And we should take to heart another thought from Lennon: "Breastfeeding...led me to self-discovery and to a greater appreciation of the full humanity of the babies who were entrusted to me. Each woman needs to trust her own instincts, her own feelings, and her own sense of what will work for her with each baby. Women in the 1950s had forgotten the wisdom of previous generations in relation to breastfeeding. Mothers who tried to breastfeed on their own were almost always destined to fail. The neighbors sent their children to watch me breastfeed because they knew the children would not see it anywhere else!"
May her memory be a blessing.
Without La Leche League, millions of mothers would never have had the courage to buck the formula trend introduced in the late twenties and thirties. God bless her and all the other moms who’ve tried so hard for so long to show women that their boobs have a real purpose, and that they can provide all their babies need for as long as they need it.
This woman is my hero! I look up to women like her who have wisdom, knowledge and care for people who want to nourish their babies in the BEST way possible. I did not learn of the La Leche League until 3 months after I had my daughter and it was 5 months after she was born that we attended our first meeting.
During the 3-5 months of breastfeeding, my daughter and I struggled through so many painful incidences. So frustrated we sat in the middle of the night crying together. It was hard and I wish I would have known then, the support I could have had. My husband was serving in Iraq at that time and my mother, although supportive, was concerned about my daughter getting enough food – So formula was supplemented. I was not comfortable with that – It felt like as a mother I couldn’t feed my baby. It was heartbreaking! The La Leche League was-still is, my sanctuary where I can talk to other mothers about our struggle and support/help the new moms so they will not give up. In the end it is SO rewarding, I wouldn’t trade it for the Universe.
So All of My Thanks To You: Viola Lennon! May You Rest In True Peace!