My name is Marlo, I have four children, Jacob who is 13,
Estelle who is 10, Gavin who is 6 and Lilah who is 4. I’ve been a LLL leader since March of
2004. I started attending LLL meetings
here in Mt. Pleasant in February of 2000, when I had my first baby. I knew even before I was pregnant that I
would breastfeed. My mom spoke often of
the help and support LLL provided to nursing mothers, and how women shouldn’t
be afraid to reach out for support. I
attended my first meeting when my son Jacob was one month old in March of
2000. There I felt validated, and
supported and at the end of the meeting couldn’t wait for the next one. I wished the meetings were weekly! I met lots of like-minded moms there including my
current co-leader, Elizabeth, with her first son who was 2 weeks younger
than mine. My family moved to Virginia in 2001 and Florida in 2003 and back to Mt. Pleasant in 2005. Little did we know that Elizabeth and I would be leading meetings together 4 years
later back in Mt. Pleasant.
I graduated from the University of Florida, with a
commission in the US Navy. I spent five
years as an officer in the USN, stationed in Meridian and Pascagoula,
Mississippi. I am grateful for the job I
had, but it wasn’t for me, and working in the military did not go with my
desire to stay at home with my babies. I
married my husband Joe while I was in Meridian, but we held off on having
children until I was out of the Navy.
Joe got a job here in Mt. Pleasant when I finished in the military and I
got a part time job as a household manager for a family in Wild Dunes, whom I
still work for one day a week now! I
enjoy running and doing Bikram yoga. In
high school I swam competitively. My
father was a Marine and my first two years of high school were spent in Gaeta,
Italy, where I went to an American high school, but I learned how to speak
Italian. I even swam for an Italian swim
team.
My favorite philosophy concept from LLL is “mothering
through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding
and satisfying the needs of the baby”.
Like any new, first time mom, I had no idea what being a mother and
taking care of a baby would be like. I
quickly found though, that breastfeeding was almost always what either one of
us ever needed. I kept all of my babies
close to me in a sling through the second year.
As long as my babies had access to the breast and I had them close by or
in a sling, we were both content. I
realized breast milk was not only food and nourishment for my children, but the
act of breastfeeding was also a huge comfort for them, and a major relaxant for
me! I was amazed with each child how
they grew from my milk alone, how they ceased crying and were content when
nursing was offered, and how much they needed me and I needed them.
Having nursed three babies, I thought I knew it all…but when
my fourth baby came a long, she taught me a thing or two! Nursing Lilah was not as easy as it was with
the others. We took longer to get “know”
each other and figure out how to nurse.
We had trouble with latch, but we were both persistent and with some
help from LLL (yes even Leaders need help sometimes!), were able to overcome
our initial difficulties.
My favorite meeting topic is adjusting to life with a new
baby. Those first six weeks, although
idyllic, are often the most difficult for breastfeeding moms/babies. The transition to being a family of 3, 4,
5…etc… doesn’t always go smoothly, and I enjoy offering tips to make things
easier. Each new baby brings a new
family dynamic. Even though I thought I
knew what to expect with babies 2, 3, and 4, there were always unexpected
challenges. There are so many tips to
offer new moms to make those first six weeks run a little smoother. Moms need to be restful and in bed with baby,
bonding, establishing breastfeeding and enjoying each other as much as possible
in the beginning. This isn’t always easy
with a house to clean, laundry, meals to make and other little children
around. Believe me, I know!!!
I think the most frustrating question/statement I hear is “I
just couldn’t make enough milk”.
Breastfeeding is about supply and demand. The more you nurse the more you make. There are extenuating circumstances, but
normally it is as easy as feeding on demand, early and often in those early
weeks, to get a good supply established.
Breastfeeding is a commitment you make to your baby and yourself for
good health and bonding, and believe me, you will never regret it!
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