La Leche League of Florida and Caribbean Islands Area Leaders’ Letter

Baby Beams Issue 9 Spring 2020

Table of Contents

From the Desk of Justine Hirsch, Area Coordinator of Leaders……………..….Pg 1 Why File an Annual Group Financial Report? ..……...Pg 2 Getting to Know Area Council Member Erin Ludwig …..Pg 3 Is La Leche League (LLL) Membership Still Relevant? ……………………………..Pg 4 Honoring Sandra Hill, our most senior Leader………..…....Pg 5 Concept Revision: “Introducing Complementary Foods”....Pg 6 Welcome to newly accredited Leaders Kayla Hunsberger and Rachel Chastain-Gross….Pg 7

Baby Beams, the Area Leaders’ Letter for Leaders and Leader Applicants of La Leche League of Florida and Caribbean Islands, is published twice a year and sent electronically to Area Leaders.

Hi everyone! Thank you for another successful period of turning in statistics for your Groups. I appreciate everyone’s hard work in their communities and their efforts to keep track of and report statistics. These reflect the work all of you are doing. Our Area has 24 active Groups and many Active without a Group (NGA) Leaders serving families throughout Florida and the Caribbean Islands. From July to December 2019, as an Area, we held 189 meetings and those meetings were attended by 734 adults, along with their children. We had a grand total of 1,831 helping contacts! That’s fantastic. Think of all of those mothers and babies you have helped whose lives have been improved because of you. I want to thank each of you for your dedication to the families in your community. Some Leaders have shared that despite these successes, attendance at meetings has been lower than in the past. I encourage those Leaders to please reach out on the La Leche League of Florida/Caribbean Islands (LLL of FL/CI) private Facebook group, to your District Advisor, or to me personally, so we may help support you.

One idea for improving attendance is organizing a monthly play date. Reach out to one of the active mothers in the Group to help you plan it. You may also want to consider different meeting days or times. Some Groups have had success by adding a weekend morning meeting. Try reaching out to your local breastfeeding coalition, hospitals, pediatricians, and IBCLCs to make sure they have your information and are giving it to parents. Social media is another great way to reach new people. Do you have a Facebook Page and a closed Facebook group? What about Instagram?

Finally, please make sure to check your contact information on the LLL USA Zip code Leader Locator to confirm your information is listed and correct. If not, please let me know and I will have it corrected. Please also check our LLL of FL/CI website for accurate information. Speaking of the website, we want to thank Lynn Wyman for her years of support and volunteer time spent keeping our website updated. She has decided to step down from that position, and we are so thankful for the time she gave us. If you have any interest in updating websites, please reach out to me, as we are now looking for her replacement. I want to close by again thanking you all for your continued dedication to La Leche League and to the families you serve.

Page 1

From the Desk of Justine Hirsch, Area Coordinator of Leaders (ACL)

We held 189 meetings and those meetings were attended by 734 adults, along with their children. We had a grand total

of 1,831 helping contacts! That’s fantastic.

Page 2 Baby Beams, LLL of Florida and Caribbean Islands Area Leaders’ Letter, Issue 9 Spring 2020

Why File an Annual Group Financial Report? Submitted by Robin Stanford, Area Finance Coordinator (AFC)

The easy answer is that it’s required by the Area. All Groups connected to La Leche League of Florida and Caribbean Islands (LLL of FL&CI) fill out a finance report as stated in our Area Agreement. All La Leche League entities from the Group to the Area to LLL Alliance, and to LLLI provide Annual Financial Reports. In return for being tax-exempt and receiving tax-deductible contributions, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires 501(c)(3) organizations to disclose information about their organization to the public. These reports show that each entity of La Leche League has been a proper steward of the money entrusted to it by the public, and that all monies have been spent on the mission of La Leche League.

For more information check out Leader’s Handbook at LLLI. Click Leaders, scroll down to Leader’s Handbook, go to Chapter 1 – Managing the LLL Group 2019, scroll down to Group Treasury, Preparing the Area Financial Report. The report in our Area is the annual Group Financial Report (GFR). The fiscal financial year for all La Leche League within the United States is April 1 through March 31. By the time the Group books are closed on March 31 all income should be deposited and all bills should be paid. The next step is filling out the annual Group Financial Report (GFR). The Area Finance Coordinator (AFC) sends an e-mail copy of the current GFR along with instructions to all Group Leaders. (The GFR is also available on Florida’s website under the finance section.) Please look over these instructions and the report when they arrive. There may have been changes made from previous years. If you are unable to balance the income and expenses or have any questions, please contact the

AFC for assistance. A Leader, usually the Listed Leader (LL), is responsible for submitting the Group’s report to the AFC, who keeps a copy to comply with IRS and LLLI requirements. The Group Treasurer may fill out the report, but if she is not a Leader, the Listed Leader must sign it. If the Group’s financial records have been kept with the report in mind, the filer will only need to total the categories and put the sums in the appropriate spaces. Help is available from the Finance Department if needed. Sample bookkeeping is available from the Finance Department at <robinstanford1967@gmail.com>. In addition, by filling out the report each year, Groups are assured that the financial ledger balances. It is good business practice to keep a copy of the report in the Group’s permanent record. This report is a picture of the previous financial year; it is also a tool that can be used to write a budget, set goals, and prioritize how the funds will be used in the upcoming year. Statistics gathered from these reports help give a clear picture of how Area Groups are functioning. Only Groups with a report on file for the previous fiscal year can be considered for financial assistance from the Area to enable the Leaders to attend Area Conferences, District Workshops, etc. A final reason to fill out the report and return it to the Finance Department is that the AFC will be able to complete her year-end reports in a timely manner.

The Annual Group Financial Report is a picture of the previous financial year; it is also a tool that can be used to write a budget, set goals,

and prioritize how the funds will be used in the upcoming year.

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Erin and her husband Goat, are parents to four children: stepson Aaron, 19, son Landis, 13, and daughters, Evelyn and Katie, six and four. Erin became a Leader in 2016 and has served with the Space Coast Group ever since. “This is the Group where I attended my first meeting in 2006, when pregnant with Landis,” she says. “It's wonderful to give back to a community that has supported me so well over the years!” Working at home by providing childcare, Erin is pleased to contribute financially to her family while caring for a sweet toddler. “And this means I’m home to care for my younger children as well," she explains. “It has given me some new ideas to share with Group mothers who ho work outside the home and are wondering how their children’s caregiver can help support the breastfeeding relationship.” Two years ago, Erin joined the Area Council by becoming a District Advisor (DA). “Being a DA is fun!” she declares. “I am helping support Leaders as they support mothers, babies, and families in their communities. I send periodic emails to check in with Leaders in my District, and I'm here to support and encourage them. I can celebrate a great meeting or brainstorm a tricky situation. Justine, our wonderful Area Coordinator of Leaders, and other members of the Area Team,

help me through any tricky situations that may arise. I don't have to know everything, thankfully, because I sure don't! “ Erin enjoys serving as a DA because she gets to know Leaders from all over the state. “It's so neat hearing about what works for different Groups, and brainstorming ideas with different Leaders. There are so many bright, passionate, kind-hearted folks in our Area!” After having breastfed for six consecutive years between her two girls, Erin says her youngest child recently weaned, which has given her pause. “This has been a transition for me as a mother and as a Leader. I'm working to find my footing as a Leader who is no longer nursing any of her children.” One of Erin’s favorite things to do when she finds some ‘me’ time is weightlifting! “I placed sixth in the state competition when I was in high school, and lifting is still one of my favorite ways to destress.” Erin’s message to Leaders is to keep doing the work because it really matters. “You're making a difference in the lives of nursing mothers and babies. And what a valuable contribution that is!” And thank you, Erin, for making a difference to the Leaders you are serving. Your hard work is greatly appreciated.

Getting to Know Area Council Member Erin Ludwig

Page 4 Baby Beams, LLL of Florida and Caribbean Islands Area Leaders’ Letter, Issue 9 Spring 2020

Is La Leche League (LLL) Membership Still Relevant? Excerpted from a 2019 article written by Linda Parry, LLL Alliance Area Network

In the last half of 2018, LLL Alliance Groups reported only one membership sold for every two Groups. Yet some Areas sell many memberships, and some Groups have 100% membership. Is membership a thing of the past, or do Leaders just need to be as enthusiastic about offering membership as they are at welcoming all to the Group?

Think about the nonprofits you donate to. Is it because you or someone you know benefits from their services? Or maybe you just really connect with the mission, whether it is public radio or your local pet shelter. Either way, the reason most parents have become members through the years is to give back (or pay it forward) and say thanks for the community and the support. Membership is all about belonging and all about the mission. Never assume an individual can't afford it or that mentioning money will taint your integrity. Promote memberships with pride and confidence. It is a privilege to be a part of such a unique and welcoming organization. All nonprofits exist because someone funds them.

Ideas to increase memberships:

MAKE IT EASY. Put a PayPal button on the Group social media pages and mention membership on a regular basis.

Pick up assorted items at the dollar store and offer these to new members.

Create a basket of assorted items and offer it as a drawing for new members.

Hold special events for members only, such as holiday craft parties.

Invite mothers to take on Group jobs, which in turn may encourage them to become members.

Make members feel appreciated- introduce them at the next meeting, give them a special hug, thank them for supporting the Group financially.

Point out that as a 501(c)(3), all memberships are considered donations and are tax deductible.

Encourage mothers who have been assisted by La Leche League to say “Thank You” by purchasing a membership.

Area Team Members’ Contact Information

Justine Hirsch, Area Coordinator of Leaders 786-586-0352 <acl.lllflci@gmail.com>

Christine Thompson, Coordinator of Leader Accreditation 727-501-3773 <ckt.lalechelad@gmail.com>

Ellen Simpson, Area Database Administrator 813-831-5983 <esimpson@tampabay.rr.com>

Maria Richter, Area Professional Liaison 863-612-6264 <APL.lllflorida@gmail.com>

Robin Stanford, Area Finance Coordinator 850-321-5514 <robinstanford1967@gmail.com>

Communications Skill Instructor Coordinator Positon currently open

Lena Ostroff, Area Publications Coordinator 818-433-2526 <islandgirl@northrock.bm>

Articles and other submissions for the next issue of Baby Beams should be sent to Lena Ostroff, Area Publications Coordinator (APC) by September 1, 2020. Send your contributions to <islandgirl@northrock.bm>

Articles may be edited for length, clarity, and adherence to LLL publishing guidelines.

The reason most parents have become members through the years is to give back (or pay it forward) and say thanks for the

community and the support.

Page 5

Honoring Sandra Hill, our most senior Leader

Sandra Hill is our longest-serving Leader! Having been accredited in 1971, Sandy has been leading meetings and assisting families in her community for nearly 50 years! Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Sandy eventually had six children and started attending La Leche League meetings after she gave birth to her fifth baby. “I had breastfed before, but my neighbor was a Leader and I decided to attend the meeting she was hosting.” After going to meetings for a few years, a Group Leader asked Sandy to consider becoming accredited, which she did. “I enjoyed leading meetings in Ohio for six years and thought my time as a Leader was over when we moved to Florida in 1978. But I found I was needed there as well, and I have continued serving as an Active Leader ever since.” Over the years, Sandy has taken many other Leaders through the accreditation process; but as is often the case, most have moved away. She continues to spearhead the LLL of Titusville Group as a lone Leader. Having bottle-fed her first three children and breastfed her last three, Sandy says she feels confident telling new mothers that breastfeeding is the best way. And while there is more information about breastfeeding today than when she started out raising her family decades ago, “The most accurate information still comes from La Leche League,” she adds. Sandy worked outside the home at Brevard Community College and the Brevard Health Department. “I got my job at the Brevard Health Department,” she explains, “because I was doing a volunteer course that required me to work at something I cared about. So I set up a table with breastfeeding information at the Health Department and eventually was asked to join their team and work with new mothers. I ended up at the Department for 14 years!” A grandmother to nine and great grandmother to ten, Sandy’s advice to new Leaders is to ‘hang in there- you are truly needed.”

Our thanks and appreciation to Sandy for her decades-long service to thousands of families. What an achievement.

Page 6 Baby Beams, LLL of Florida and Caribbean Islands Area Leaders’ Letter, Issue 9 Spring 2020

Leaders may have noticed that some healthcare professionals are encouraging mothers to introduce solid food as early as four months. We know such recommendations undermine both milk supply and the breastfeeding process. As Leaders, we want to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information to the mothers we serve. With this in mind, the La Leche League International Board voted unanimously last year to revise the wording of the “Introducing Solids” Concept and Concept Explanation, changing it to the “Introducing Complementary Foods” Concept below. If you are working with a mother who has been told she needs to introduce complementary foods by four months, or any mother who wants information about when to start solids, please feel free to share the information below. 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. For the full-term, healthy baby, human milk alone provides optimal nutrition for growth and development until about the middle of the first year. Research has shown that exclusive breastfeeding for six months fortifies the baby’s immune system against infection.

(1) Every baby is unique,

and so when deciding whether to introduce other foods and/or drink, it is important to focus on awareness of the baby’s specific nutritional needs and signs of readiness, rather than upon the baby’s age or outside factors. Physiological and behavioral signs of readiness for other foods and drink generally include, but are not limited to, the following changes in the baby:

Ability to sit up unsupported, facilitating eating and swallowing

Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex and emergence of chewing patterns

Hand-to-mouth coordination, bringing food to the mouth in conjunction with anticipatory opening of the mouth

Increase in the desire to nurse that does not subside after several days of intensive nursing.

A breastfed baby is accustomed to being in charge of how much to eat and recognizing the body’s signals for hunger and satiety.

(2) By encouraging the baby to be actively

involved in self-feeding and paying attention to signs that the baby has had enough, parents can help ensure continued self-regulation of food intake. If all other signs of developmental readiness are present but a baby exhibits gastrointestinal symptoms following the introduction of complementary foods, this may indicate that the baby is not quite ready to advance from exclusive breastfeeding, or may need a greater portion of human milk in the diet. The World Health Organization recommends continued breastfeeding as part of a mixed diet until two years of age or beyond.

(3)

(1) “Exclusive breastfeeding for six months best for babies everywhere,” World Health Organization statement, 15 January 2011.

(2) Li, R., et al. (2010). “Do Infants Fed from Bottles Lack Self-regulation of Milk Intake Compared with Directly Breastfed Infants?” Pediatrics: peds.2009-2549.

(3) “Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child,” World Health Organization, 2001.

Concept Revision: “Introducing Complementary Foods” Excerpted from Leader Today, January 2020

La Leche League (LLL) is an international, non-profit, nonsectarian organization dedicated to providing education, information, support, and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed. The mission of LLL is to help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.

Leadership Application Information Information about the Application for LLL Leadership, Leader Recommendation Form, and the Application fee can now be found online on the Area website. Leader's Handbook can be downloaded from the LLLI Leader pages.

Page 7

Kayla Hunsberger, from La Leche League of Clay

County, is mother to daughters Presley, three, and Harlow, 17 months. A former automotive service advisor, she and her husband, Cory, are car enthusiasts and have spent the last year and a half building a Subaru WRX.

“We plan to take it racing later this year,” she explains. “We attend a lot of car shows and events as a family with our car club and both girls love it.” Kayla is the oldest of four girls and her sisters are her best friends. In addition to being close to her siblings, Kayla makes time for herself by horseback riding. “I do my best to take riding lessons a few times a month,” she says. “I used to ride and compete regularly when I was a teen and throughout college and it is still something I love very much. I enjoy photography and combine my love of cars and horses into that by doing automotive, equine, and sports photography.” Her life has been a bit of a whirlwind since giving birth to Harlow. “Going from one baby to two was a huge change,” she notes. “Learning how to parent two under two has been the most interesting and rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I don’t think anything could have really prepared me for that!” We’re sure Kayla’s mothering experience and can-do attitude will serve her well as a Leader. She will be a real asset to mothers in her community.

Welcome to newly accredited Leaders Kayla Hunsberger and Rachel Chastain-Gross!

Rachel Chastain-Gross is a recently accredited Leader with La Leche League of Gainesville. She and her husband Ryan, a freelance scientific editor, are parents to five-year-old Lucy and three-year-old Cora. Before she started raising a family, Rachel worked as an elementary school teacher for ten years. She is currently employed by the College of Education at the University of Florida, helping teachers with behavior management in their classrooms. After her oldest daughter, Lucy, started kindergarten this past year, Rachel saw education from a new point of view. “As a former teacher,” she observes, “it’s interesting to experience elementary school from the parents’ perspective.” Prior to motherhood, Rachel was an avid reader. “When my girls were very little,” she says, “I was too exhausted to read for pleasure. I'm just now starting to enjoy reading novels again.” A vegetarian for the last twenty years, Rachel encourages her family to eat a plant based diet, including a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains. We know co-Leader Justine Hirsch is thrilled to have Rachel on board. Congratulations, Rachel, and many thanks in advance for being such an asset to families in your community.