On October 23rd Anna and Nik, two of LLLGB’s Leaders, gave a presentation on breastfeeding at Vegfest. The event was held at Olympia, London and was attended by around 13,000 people over two days. The presentation was part of the People’s Health Summit and it was the first time breastfeeding had been the topic of a talk at the festival.
Anna and Nik had prepared a presentation entitled ‘The Myths and Facts of Breastfeeding’ which looked at possible misconceptions about dietary requirements for breastfeeding mothers and babies, as well as the ways breastfeeding benefits the environment.
They looked at the reasons why women sometimes find breastfeeding difficult in the early days and offered suggestions for overcoming any initial worries. The significance of breastfeeding to the short- and long-term health of both mothers and babies was briefly covered.
Slides positively entitled “You can breastfeed” debunked some of the negative comments which question the feasibility of breastfeeding.
Anna and Nik talked about the importance of support and shared some facts about La Leche League and the way we offer accurate information to enable parents to make knowledgeable decisions which suit them and their baby.
While the presentation was focused on overcoming initial difficulties, Anna and Nik also mentioned that one day things usually click into place and nursing becomes a lovely part of the parent/child relationship, offering comfort and convenience with no monetary outlay!
After the presentation they answered questions and provided free leaflets, including Safe Sleep Seven and “Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk.” Samples of books, including the 8th Edition of the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, Safe Sleep, Kiss Me by Carlos Gonzalez and Mothering your Nursing Toddler were on display.
Although the audience was small, those who were there said they had enjoyed it and found the information offered very useful.
Anna and Nik are LLLGB’s PR & Media team. Like all our GB Leaders they are volunteers. LLLGB received no payment for this presentation.