La Leche League of Oregon helps parents, families, and communities to breastfeed, chestfeed, and human milk feed their babies through parent-to-parent support. We encourage, inform, educate, support, and promote the use of human milk and the intimate relationship and development that comes from nursing a child for as long as mutually desired.
About Leaders
La Leche League Leaders are experienced parents who have nursed their own babies and who have been trained and accredited by La Leche League International. Leaders can help parents and parents-to-be with questions or concerns about nursing their infants/toddlers. If you would like help, please contact a La Leche League leader in your community.
What We Do
Breastfeeding is natural, but it does not always come naturally. LLL Oregon offers breastfeeding support to all who want to breastfeed. Whether you are working or home with your baby, La Leche League can help you reach your breastfeeding goals. All pregnant, breast/chest/human milk feeding parents are welcome to attend group meetings group or call one of our Leaders for lactation help or information.
Our Commitment
La Leche League of Oregon is committed to diversity and inclusion. We support all breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and human milk feeding families, inclusive of their race, ethnicity, immigration status, national origin, creed, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, family structure, primary language, ability, or socio-economic status. LLL of Oregon fosters diversity among its Leaders so as to incorporate a wide variety of perspectives and responsible decision-making.
What We Believe
- Human milk is the natural food for babies, uniquely meeting their changing needs.
- Alert, active participation by the mother in childbirth is a help in getting breastfeeding off to a good start.
- Mother and baby need to be together early and often to establish a satisfying breastfeeding relationship and reliable milk supply.
- Breastfeeding is enhanced by the loving support of the baby’s father, a co-parent, a partner, and/or close family members who value the breastfeeding relationship.
- Mother and baby need to be together early and often to establish a satisfying breastfeeding relationship and reliable milk supply.
- In the early years, the baby has an intense need to be with his mother which is as basic as his need for food.
- For the healthy, full-term baby, human milk is the only food necessary until the baby shows signs of readiness for complementary foods, about the middle of the first year after birth.
- Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible.
- Ideally the breastfeeding relationship will continue until the child outgrows the need.
- From infancy on, children need loving guidance which reflects acceptance of their capabilities and sensitivity to their feelings.
La Leche League International is a worldwide educational, non–sectarian, not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization.
The ideals and principles of mothering which are the foundation of LLL beliefs are further developed in The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, the most comprehensive handbook on breastfeeding and parenting ever published. It has provided needed answers to multiple generations of nursing mothers and parents on every aspect of breastfeeding.
The 9th edition of our core book is being written now and will be published as The Art of Breastfeeding in October 2024.