A Brief History of La Leche League
An Idea is Born
Never underestimate the power of a woman. In the case of La Leche League, never underestimate the power of seven determined women. In 1956, seven mothers started a local group to share breastfeeding information. Their idea has turned into an international organization that provides breastfeeding support all over the world.
LLL members are fond of saying the group began at a picnic, and, in a way, it did. Two of the LLL Founders, Mary White and Marian Tompson, were sitting under a tree nursing their babies during a church picnic. They were astonished by the number of women who approached them, saying, "I had wanted to nurse my baby, but. . . " They realized the problems these women had faced in trying to nurse their babies were not unusual. They were convinced each of these mothers could have nursed her baby if her questions had been answered.
Mary and Marian consulted Mary's husband, Dr. Gregory White, who was supportive of breastfeeding, although he had little practical advice to offer. They searched through his medical books for what little scientific information was available and recalled their own breastfeeding experiences. They decided that the secrets of successful breastfeeding were information, encouragement, and support.
The two women had no formal plans, but they agreed to meet at Mary's house and invite some friends to discuss breastfeeding. Marian called Edwina Froehlich, who in turn invited Viola Lennon. Mary contacted Mary Ann Kerwin, her sister-in-law, and Mary Ann Cahill, who thought of Betty Wagner. These seven met several times during the summer and early autumn to make plans for their breastfeeding group.
It seemed clear that two main worries for new mothers were having enough milk and whether their milk was right for their babies. Mother-to-mother help had been an important source of encouragement for each Founder when she was learning how to breastfeed. Each Founder contributed her own background, experiences, and special talents to the fledgling organization.
The first official meeting was held on October 17, 1956 in Franklin Park, Illinois, USA. The seven Founders and five of their pregnant friends attended. However, the group did not stay small and intimate. To the surprise of the Founders, women they didn't know began showing up. Within a few months, there were so many women asking to come that it was necessary to split into two groups.
The Idea Gained Momentum
Although early meetings were unstructured, the group steadily became more organized. They began with a series of four meetings and met every three weeks. Dr. Herbert Ratner, then health commissioner of Oak Park, Illinois, USA, and a good friend of Dr. Gregory White, led a meeting for fathers.
The name La Leche League was chosen in 1957. "La Leche" is a Spanish phrase (pronounced "la lay chay") that means "the milk."
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In searching for a name for our new organization, we Founders were struck by the importance placed on breastfeeding by early Spanish settlers in America. In 1598, the settlers dedicated a shrine to "Nuestra Senora de la Leche y Buen Parto" [Our Lady of Happy Delivery and Plentiful Milk]. The words "happy delivery and plentiful milk" spoke profoundly of yearnings that are common to many mothers. Like women of old, we rejoiced in breastfeeding our babies and wanted to share our newfound knowledge with others. Even though our name came from a religious shrine, we unanimously chose to be a nonsectarian organization from the start. To us, "La Leche" [The Milk] became as much a symbol as a name. While it was chosen in part because the word "breastfeeding" was not acceptable at that time, in another sense our name's lofty origin reflected the importance we attached to the work we were undertaking.
The LLL Founders, September 1997
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The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding began as a course-by-mail in loose-leaf binder form, intended for use by mothers living too far away to attend LLL meetings. Vi Lennon remembers she couldn't see the need for a book at first, but letters from mothers all over the USA changed her mind. At first, every copy of the book went out with a personal letter of encouragement. The first edition of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding was revised and expanded into a blue-covered book in 1963. More than a million copies were sold in the eighteen years before it was revised in 1981. In 1983, this edition was licensed to New American Library (now Penguin USA), which now co-publishes the book and makes it widely available in bookstores. Subsequent editions were published in 1987, 1991, 1997, 2004, and 2010. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is available in multiple languages.
In 1958, LLL News began. Marian Tompson was its first editor, and compiling it was a family affair at her house. LLL News continued as the LLLI member publication for twenty-six years until 1985, when its format was revised and expanded into New Beginnings. In 2010 the publication moved online and became known as Breastfeeding Today. In 2022 the name was changed to LLL Today. Leaven, the LLL journal for Leaders, began publication in 1965. Later it was published online as Leader Today.
In 1963, for the first time, an employee was hired to help with the mail; LLL also rented its first one-room office. The organization drafted a constitution in 1963 and officially became La Leche League International in June 1964.
Many of the women who wrote to the Founders wanted to start LLL Groups in their own communities. They were encouraged to do so, and before long LLL News listed Groups in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. This rapid growth began to worry the Founders, since they wanted the organization to foster a particular philosophy of breastfeeding and mothering. They wanted mothers to find the same kind of information and encouragement wherever a La Leche League Group was formed. It became evident that a standard procedure was needed for those who were interested in starting Groups. Also needed were procedures to keep in touch with Leaders and Groups all over the world. These needs led to the establishment of the Leader and Leader Applicant (now Accreditation) Departments in 1964.
Also in 1964, LLL held its first convention at the Knickerbocker Hotel in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA-quite an unusual undertaking for a group of mothers with babies.
Each step in the growth and expansion of the organization was taken in an effort to continue meeting the needs of the mothers and babies who turned to LLL for breastfeeding help. The LLLove Story (1978) and Seven Voices, One Dream (2001) provide a history of La Leche League's development.
The Organization Today
La Leche League International (LLLI) is an independent, nonpolitical, nongovernmental organization incorporated in Illinois, USA, as a not-for-profit corporation. LLLI has a Board of Directors to establish policies, hire an Executive Director (if needed), and ensure the legal and ethical integrity of the organization, including effective management of resources and continued focus on the mission of the organization. Currently eight Direct Connect Entities (DCEs) work together under the umbrella of LLLI, these are: LLL Alliance for Breastfeeding Education (USA), the European Area Network (EAN), the International Area Network (IAN), Ligue La Leche (French Canada), LLL Canada (English Canada), LLL Great Britain, LLL New Zealand and LLL USA. You can find more information about the structure of LLL here.
The details of the organization and functioning of the LLLI Board of Directors, including elections, officers and committees, can be found in the LLLI Bylaws and Policies and Standing Rules Notebook (PSR), which are available on the LLLI website.
Today, La Leche League is recognized internationally as the world’s foremost authority on breastfeeding. LLLI maintains working relationships with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and is a founding member of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). LLLI offers Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) to IBCLCs for webinars.
As LLLI has grown into an international organization, the primary focus has remained on the personal one-to-one sharing of information and encouragement that provides mothers with the confidence they need to breastfeed their baby. LLL Leader providing this personal support to mothers are vital to the fulfillment of the LLL Mission.
Information taken from the LLLI Leader’s Handbook 4th revised editions (2003) and 5th revised edition (2019-2021, also the LLLI Bylaws.
Never underestimate the power of a woman. In the case of La Leche League, never underestimate the power of seven determined women. In 1956, seven mothers started a local group to share breastfeeding information. Their idea has turned into an international organization that provides breastfeeding support all over the world.
LLL members are fond of saying the group began at a picnic, and, in a way, it did. Two of the LLL Founders, Mary White and Marian Tompson, were sitting under a tree nursing their babies during a church picnic. They were astonished by the number of women who approached them, saying, "I had wanted to nurse my baby, but. . . " They realized the problems these women had faced in trying to nurse their babies were not unusual. They were convinced each of these mothers could have nursed her baby if her questions had been answered.
Mary and Marian consulted Mary's husband, Dr. Gregory White, who was supportive of breastfeeding, although he had little practical advice to offer. They searched through his medical books for what little scientific information was available and recalled their own breastfeeding experiences. They decided that the secrets of successful breastfeeding were information, encouragement, and support.
The two women had no formal plans, but they agreed to meet at Mary's house and invite some friends to discuss breastfeeding. Marian called Edwina Froehlich, who in turn invited Viola Lennon. Mary contacted Mary Ann Kerwin, her sister-in-law, and Mary Ann Cahill, who thought of Betty Wagner. These seven met several times during the summer and early autumn to make plans for their breastfeeding group.
It seemed clear that two main worries for new mothers were having enough milk and whether their milk was right for their babies. Mother-to-mother help had been an important source of encouragement for each Founder when she was learning how to breastfeed. Each Founder contributed her own background, experiences, and special talents to the fledgling organization.
The first official meeting was held on October 17, 1956 in Franklin Park, Illinois, USA. The seven Founders and five of their pregnant friends attended. However, the group did not stay small and intimate. To the surprise of the Founders, women they didn't know began showing up. Within a few months, there were so many women asking to come that it was necessary to split into two groups.
The Idea Gained Momentum
Although early meetings were unstructured, the group steadily became more organized. They began with a series of four meetings and met every three weeks. Dr. Herbert Ratner, then health commissioner of Oak Park, Illinois, USA, and a good friend of Dr. Gregory White, led a meeting for fathers.
The name La Leche League was chosen in 1957. "La Leche" is a Spanish phrase (pronounced "la lay chay") that means "the milk."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In searching for a name for our new organization, we Founders were struck by the importance placed on breastfeeding by early Spanish settlers in America. In 1598, the settlers dedicated a shrine to "Nuestra Senora de la Leche y Buen Parto" [Our Lady of Happy Delivery and Plentiful Milk]. The words "happy delivery and plentiful milk" spoke profoundly of yearnings that are common to many mothers. Like women of old, we rejoiced in breastfeeding our babies and wanted to share our newfound knowledge with others. Even though our name came from a religious shrine, we unanimously chose to be a nonsectarian organization from the start. To us, "La Leche" [The Milk] became as much a symbol as a name. While it was chosen in part because the word "breastfeeding" was not acceptable at that time, in another sense our name's lofty origin reflected the importance we attached to the work we were undertaking.
The LLL Founders, September 1997
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding began as a course-by-mail in loose-leaf binder form, intended for use by mothers living too far away to attend LLL meetings. Vi Lennon remembers she couldn't see the need for a book at first, but letters from mothers all over the USA changed her mind. At first, every copy of the book went out with a personal letter of encouragement. The first edition of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding was revised and expanded into a blue-covered book in 1963. More than a million copies were sold in the eighteen years before it was revised in 1981. In 1983, this edition was licensed to New American Library (now Penguin USA), which now co-publishes the book and makes it widely available in bookstores. Subsequent editions were published in 1987, 1991, 1997, 2004, and 2010. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is available in multiple languages.
In 1958, LLL News began. Marian Tompson was its first editor, and compiling it was a family affair at her house. LLL News continued as the LLLI member publication for twenty-six years until 1985, when its format was revised and expanded into New Beginnings. In 2010 the publication moved online and became known as Breastfeeding Today. In 2022 the name was changed to LLL Today. Leaven, the LLL journal for Leaders, began publication in 1965. Later it was published online as Leader Today.
In 1963, for the first time, an employee was hired to help with the mail; LLL also rented its first one-room office. The organization drafted a constitution in 1963 and officially became La Leche League International in June 1964.
Many of the women who wrote to the Founders wanted to start LLL Groups in their own communities. They were encouraged to do so, and before long LLL News listed Groups in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. This rapid growth began to worry the Founders, since they wanted the organization to foster a particular philosophy of breastfeeding and mothering. They wanted mothers to find the same kind of information and encouragement wherever a La Leche League Group was formed. It became evident that a standard procedure was needed for those who were interested in starting Groups. Also needed were procedures to keep in touch with Leaders and Groups all over the world. These needs led to the establishment of the Leader and Leader Applicant (now Accreditation) Departments in 1964.
Also in 1964, LLL held its first convention at the Knickerbocker Hotel in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA-quite an unusual undertaking for a group of mothers with babies.
Each step in the growth and expansion of the organization was taken in an effort to continue meeting the needs of the mothers and babies who turned to LLL for breastfeeding help. The LLLove Story (1978) and Seven Voices, One Dream (2001) provide a history of La Leche League's development.
The Organization Today
La Leche League International (LLLI) is an independent, nonpolitical, nongovernmental organization incorporated in Illinois, USA, as a not-for-profit corporation. LLLI has a Board of Directors to establish policies, hire an Executive Director (if needed), and ensure the legal and ethical integrity of the organization, including effective management of resources and continued focus on the mission of the organization. Currently eight Direct Connect Entities (DCEs) work together under the umbrella of LLLI, these are: LLL Alliance for Breastfeeding Education (USA), the European Area Network (EAN), the International Area Network (IAN), Ligue La Leche (French Canada), LLL Canada (English Canada), LLL Great Britain, LLL New Zealand and LLL USA. You can find more information about the structure of LLL here.
The details of the organization and functioning of the LLLI Board of Directors, including elections, officers and committees, can be found in the LLLI Bylaws and Policies and Standing Rules Notebook (PSR), which are available on the LLLI website.
Today, La Leche League is recognized internationally as the world’s foremost authority on breastfeeding. LLLI maintains working relationships with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and is a founding member of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). LLLI offers Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) to IBCLCs for webinars.
As LLLI has grown into an international organization, the primary focus has remained on the personal one-to-one sharing of information and encouragement that provides mothers with the confidence they need to breastfeed their baby. LLL Leader providing this personal support to mothers are vital to the fulfillment of the LLL Mission.
Information taken from the LLLI Leader’s Handbook 4th revised editions (2003) and 5th revised edition (2019-2021, also the LLLI Bylaws.
