Teatopia

I think for these reasons, you SHOULD be a leader, to help other mommies who are put off by the extremists out there!! You are a healthy, well-rounded breastfeeding proponent and you would help SO many women. And if these other leaders judge you, they suck. OK. Seriously, that doesn't help you, but hopefully they would take their advice and be open minded to your choices. I've met you in person and you are so warm, sweet, and charismatic that I cannot imagine anyone ever judging you or disliking you. Maybe you can teach THEM a little about being accepting and non-judgemental!

I think it would be great to have someone with your philosophies as an LLL Leader. Not only can you offer an alternative, but you can relate to the majority of mothers out there. I have thought about going to an LLL meeting here and my philosophies align more with yours than an all-out cruncy moms! Most mothers I know believe in epidurals, strollers, etc. At the hospital I delivered at, the anesthesiologist (sp?) said 9 out of 10 women had an epidural. I love it because it allowed me to relax and bring my daughter into the world in a peaceful, relaxed environment. I am not scared to have more children, although I am scared of the 9 months-it was horrible! Morning sickness, horrible stretchmarks, borderline gestational diabetes (enough to control with diet and finger pricks). But as far as the delivery goes, it was cake, and my daughter, Sophia, is none the different!

I also think you should do it, because I'm one of your type of mommies. I felt very uncomfortable with the extreme cruchy mommies when I attended a LLL meeting. I would love to have found a leader like you and I'm sure there are other moms like you out there that wish for a leader that they can better relate with. There are most likely other leaders out there they could switch to if it bothers them that much, that way you can lead people that are truly interested in BFeeding without judging your other beliefs. After all aren't all perspectives and ideas supposed to be shared without feeling like you are getting looked down upon. I think you are the type of person that can embrace all those differences yet still be effective as a LLL leader. Good luck!!!!

You need to be a leader for the moms who might not breastfeed because of extreme APers. What I mean is, a new mom comes to LLL who is more like you than an extreme APer and she will be glad you are there to hear her and help her, and she may be go on to become a successful breastfeeder because of that. The extreme APers may turn her off and therefore the one opportunity the woman took to reach out for help is lost.

You've already heard a lot of my opinion on this, but I do have a little advice. I am definitely more like you than these extreme AP people. I don't use cloth diapers, but we both co-slept, breastfed for over a year, didn't use the cry it out method (just couldn't do it), use some organic stuff, etc. I personally am a very direct person, and though I consider myself very friendly, I know I'd probably offend every mom in the room if I went to a LLL meeting, leave there with a huge knot in my stomach.. so I never tried LLL.

I think that the best thing you can do, Hannah, is to bite the bullet and do this LLL leader thing. People like me who don't want to have everyone hate them for thinking differently, don't go for groups like this b/c we think we'll be like the lone ranger sitting there amongst all the extreme AP parents. It sucks to feel like you're going to be attacked by a bunch of AP vultures if you voice your true opinion. I don't want for a whole group of women to look at me like I'm a bad mom!! I shouldn't be made to feel that way! I feel like you need to educate yourself FULLY on all of the aspects of AP parenting so that you will have an educated backup for everything you do differently. For instance, one subject close to my heart is the vaccine thing. I am fully armed for anyone that wants to try to convince me that I shouldn't vaccinate Lila. Bring it on!! You need to feel that way, so that you won't be intimidated by these women. And, believe me, I know that many of them can be VERY intimidating, and I think it's mostly b/c they're so secure with their choices. They seem to be so sure of themselves and have research to back it up. You find your research and be ready for a nice little debate. I think you'll do fine if you're armed, so to speak.

Good luck! I think it could be very rewarding for you!!

Our local LLL is pretty open-minded. It has to start with someone!

Do it. You have to. The very reasons you mention are why I've avoided LLL. And that's just plain stupid because I'm breastfeeding a 15 month old. I should be at those meetings.

I'm another one who is so more like you than the moms you mention.

You should apply and then set a calm, reassuring example to new breastfeeders that motherhood is a personal journey and only they, their babies and their partners can decide what is best for them and their situations.

I think you should go for it too, though I don't think you should be ready for a fight -- personally, I think that if you go in there, research in hand, *expecting* to have issues, chances are the issues will find you. Go in open-minded and ready to help women who need it. And if you find that you absolutely hate LLL, then see if you can give your name to the local hospital as a LC and help out there.

I feel like I totally relate to how you feel! I really do some crunchy things, things that are very much classified as AP parenting yet I don't "practice" AP parenting.

It does sound like these ladies could use you to balance things out. And, you could be the kind of consultant people are looking for when they need help - someone who won't judge them if they make a decision different from what you would make.

to be a leader you are going to have to stand up for yourself if others don't agree with you... you will have to stand up for other women if "crunchies" are digging at them and making them feel like crap... as a leader you aren't always going to fit in with the group... and you going to have to toss some of these women's views/opinons out the window... I think you can be a good leader, but you are going to have to be strong and stand for what you believe in...

I agree. I think you should do it. I had trouble breastfeeding and I didn't go to LLL because of all those things you said. I would have been the odd one out. I didn't cosleep, I let my kids cry it out and I'm all for BFing but I also wouldn't judge others for the decisions that they make for themselves. If there would have been someone like you there then I just might have gone! For all of us that aren't super crunchy - you can lead the way. :)

I think you should go for it Hannah! You're a terrific, caring person & the perfect person for this position IMO. I think you'd be *great* @ it & whoever you consult will be SO lucky to have your help. Good luck & keep us updated :)

Wow, I admire that you use cloth diapers. I tried that for awhile but that quickly changed! I don't really know anything about the group but I think you should give it a go, your a strong intelligent woman and would be and awesome leader for any group :)

My comment has nothing to do with LLL and everything to do with the fact that I saw you were reading Milk Glass Moon. I love the Big Stone Gap series by Adrianna Trigiana. I just recently read the books (last week). I enjoyed them.

Yes, I've already left a book for a comment, but I came back to see what everyone else said...and I have to disagree w/ Carol. Educate yourself on every topic and that way you can have an educated conversation with people rather than look like you don't know what you're talking about if the subject arrises.

I think Chas, as usual, doesn't get my point. And I don't appreciate her twisting my words. I didn't say DON'T educate yourself. I said don't go in there expecting other women to start fighting with you. Because that is what Chas seemed to be saying in her post. In other words, if you expect someone to be a b---ch to you, they will be. As someone who has plenty of "crunchy" friends, I know that they don't all push on women who disagree with them. Many accept other parenting styles, though they don't agree with them. We all co-exist peacefully and arguements rarely arise. I just wanted to make myself clear and not let other people put words in my mouth.

My intention wasn't to put words in anyones mouth, it was to stand up for my initial comment. I only meant to be prepared for what MIGHT and likely WILL happen eventually. Yes, odds are that things will be peaceful most of the time, but you'll be ready when a debate arises.