August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and we reached out to several local moms who are also lactation specialists to get their stories as part of our #HERstory series. Meet Sarah Bedford, a local mom and leader of La Leche League of Charlottesville (LLL of Charlottesville). LLL of Charlottesville is part of La Leche League International, a nonprofit, nonsectarian organization. They offer breastfeeding support, education, and encouragement for parents and expecting parents. Below, Sarah shares some of #HERstory about motherhood and breastfeeding.

Are you a parent? If so, how did that journey shape your desire to get involved with La Leche League?

I’m a mom to three teenagers, and I feel very lucky that when they were born I had a lot of family support for breastfeeding. My husband was great about changing diapers, holding our babies, and generally being understanding and supportive. I was also fortunate that my mom had breastfed her babies and had been a La Leche League Leader back in the '70s and '80s when nursing in the US was pretty far outside the mainstream. I started attending LLL meetings before my first baby arrived so that I could see what meetings were like and get a sense of the common challenges people face in the early days of breastfeeding. It was such a great parenting community that I attended for years and eventually trained to be a LLL Leader myself. I love being able to support new parents in reaching their breastfeeding goals and getting to hang out with babies is always fun, too!

What are some misconceptions about breastfeeding that you come across with moms and/or the media and wish you could help clear up? What about misconceptions of working with a lactation expert (e.g. pressure to keep breastfeeding, etc.)?

One thing I sometimes hear people say about breastfeeding is that it's "too time-consuming." The fact is, caring for an infant is incredibly time-consuming--it's a 24/7 job no matter how you choose to feed your baby. Given all the benefits that breastfeeding provides babies (reduced risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome, as well as antibodies from mom that boost a baby's ability to fight infection and illness) as well as their moms, I think it’s an invaluable investment of time and energy. You also get all the side benefits like lots of time to bond, always having milk at the right temperature and ready to go, and being able to feed your baby while lying down--a real plus for a sleep-deprived new parent!

Another misconception that people have is that if they ask for help from a lactation expert or peer counselor they’ll feel pressured in some way. The reality is that there's no one "right" way to breastfeed, and a good lactation expert is going to find out what your breastfeeding goals are and help you meet them. Whether your goal is to breastfeed for six weeks, six months, or longer, there are lots of great lactation support folks and peer support groups in our community that will help you make that goal a reality.

Is there anything expecting moms can do to better help prepare for the breastfeeding journey (if they chose to/are able to)?

I always recommend that people attend a breastfeeding class and a peer breastfeeding support group (whether it’s LLL or another group) before baby arrives. That provides a good idea of what caring for an infant, breastfeeding, and the early days after birth are like—and you can ask questions and hear from parents who have “been there.” LLL meetings are like a casual baby/toddler playgroup where the adults talk about whatever is going on with their babies—sometimes topics relate to breastfeeding but people also chat about sleep, weaning, starting solids, and other things that might be on their mind. The first few weeks with a new baby can be challenging, but knowing other parents are going through the same thing, and hearing, “It gets easier!” from parents of babies who are six, nine, or 12 months old can be hugely helpful.

I also recommend that people get their post-delivery support lined up ahead of time. Hopefully, you’ll be someone for whom breastfeeding is a breeze (it happens!), but in case you run into early challenges, you’ll want to have contact info for the lactation experts, LLL Leaders, or others to call if you need them. Line up your “village” ahead of time: friends or family who can make meals, grocery shop, do laundry, and hold the baby while you take a well-deserved nap. Make your breastfeeding goals known to your support crew and be clear on ways they can help you reach your goals. It also helps to identify friends and family who successfully breastfed their babies, learn from them, and ask them to cheer you on. (And try to keep the "breastfeeding didn't work for me" comments in perspective. We are lucky that there's so much support and information about breastfeeding available now, but people who were having babies in the '80s and '90s that wasn't the case and sometimes the medical establishment even undermined breastfeeding. The landscape of lactation support has changed dramatically!)

What are words of support you can provide to someone who is really struggling with breastfeeding, both physically and mentally?

I always tell people that it really does get easier in time--not just breastfeeding, but new parenthood in general. Babies gain neck strength and can latch more easily, and they get stronger and more efficient while feeding. They also eventually sleep longer!

Anything else you would like to say or share?

LLL’s meetings have been on Zoom since March 2020, but we look forward to meeting in person again soon. Find us at https://lllcville.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook.