In league with moms

Her first name means “pretty” in French, and she is a “pretty” busy woman.

A mother of four boys, she volunteers her time to help young moms breastfeed their babies successfully.

Jolie Bazler took on the task of trying to revive the Coeur d’Alene LaLeche League chapter 4 1/2 years ago, and now, with Jennifer McIntosh, she wants to see it thrive.

As a LaLeche League leader, Bazler has held gently used children’s book fairs, organized a tie-dye fundraiser for kids, held rummage sales, and her own children ran an organic lemonade stand, all to support the purchase of educational materials for the local chapter.

While the chapter has had successful meetings, it is a small group, and Bazler is determined to increase community support and continue to spread the word.

Since 1956, LaLeche League International has been providing breastfeeding assistance through mother-to-mother support, education and information and has promoted a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother, according to a mission statement.

Besides her involvement in LaLeche League, Bazler teaches healthy food preparation classes to children and adults. She is interested in recycling, enjoys organizing community groups and events, is involved in local children’s art programs and volunteers for other community activities.

LaLeche League states that one of the most important advantages of breastfeeding is that it provides babies with optimum nutrition and prevents infections, sudden infant death syndrome, obesity and childhood cancers.

The organization also claims mothers who breastfeed their babies are less likely to develop ovarian and breast cancers, urinary tract infections and osteoporosis.

Bazler said LaLeche League is also important as a support group because “we help moms learn to mother their babies through breastfeeding and empower them to use their motherly instincts.”

Free mothering classes are held on the second Thursday of each month, 10:30 a.m. to noon at Mother’s Haven, 2112 N. Government Way, Coeur d’Alene.

Topics include gentle discipline methods that work; nighttime parenting; pregnancy; breastfeeding at different stages and weaning; improving the family’s diet, whole foods for the whole family; potty-mastery; siblings without rivalry; raising a spirited child; being an advocate for your child; and green housecleaning.

Although LaLeche League meetings are held during the day, the group also supports working mothers.

“We take their help calls, we have books for working mothers in our lending library, and some working mothers are able to attend meetings on their lunch hours or days off,” says Bazler.

Bazler stresses that she and McIntosh are available to help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals, whatever they may be.

“I wish there had been a thriving LLL chapter here when I was a new mother,” said McIntosh. “We are now filling a void in the community.”

Besides health benefits to mother and child, breastfeeding is also “green.”

While breastfeeding is an act of nurturing between a mother and child, it also has an enormous impact on the global ecosystem, according to Bazler.

Human milk requires no resources for packaging, shipping or disposal. No fuel is wasted producing human milk the way it is in producing artificial baby milk. Scientists agree that human milk is the best food to nourish babies, and it may even protect babies from some of the effects of pollution.

“Breastfeeding not only grows a healthy mother and child but also grows a healthy planet,” said Bazler.

Bazler encourages pregnant women, mothers with new babies and mothers with toddlers and preschoolers to attend a LaLeche League meeting.

“Come and learn a LaLeche League loving way of life with your child,” she said.