La Leche League of Washington is a parent-to-parent human milk feeding* support organization. La Leche League Leaders are volunteer parents who have nursed their own children and are accredited by La Leche League International. Leaders provide support and information to families from pregnancy through weaning. La Leche League of Washington is made up of nearly 100 active Leaders and 30 Groups in Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. Four regions provide helpline services for parents and caregivers. In 2019, over 300 LLL meetings were held with 1,350 attendees. In addition, volunteer Leaders responded to 8,150 helping requests!
*LLL of Washington supports human milk feeding, including, but not limited to: breastfeeding, chestfeeding, expressing milk (pumping), bottle feeding expressed milk, mixed feeding, and supplementing at the breast.
La Leche League of Washington is committed to providing its volunteer Leaders with the most up-to-date and comprehensive tools to support breastfeeding families. Leaders assist families through phone calls, in-person Group Meetings, email, and social media. La Leche League of Washington strives to meet parents where they are to help them reach their breastfeeding goals. Through Leader accreditation, La Leche League of Washington continues to accredit new Leaders and expand its reach into communities across our Area (WA, ID, AK).
For health care professionals, La Leche League of Washington's health care professional seminars are among the top lactation continuing education opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. LLL brings some of the most-sought-after experts in the field of lactation to Washington State to further understand best practices for feeding.
La Leche League of Washington is part of La Leche League USA and La Leche League International.
LLL USA Diversity and Inclusion Statement:
La Leche League USA (LLL USA) is committed to diversity and inclusion. LLL USA supports 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 USA fosters diversity among its Leaders so as to incorporate a wide variety of perspectives and responsible decision-making.
LLLI's Philosophies
La Leche League International (LLLI) is an international organization with the sole purpose of helping parents and babies breast/chestfeed. LLLI focuses on matters relating to breast and chestfeeding, as defined by its Philosophy, and does not endorse other causes. The primary role of an LLLI Leader is to provide parents information and options on matters relating to human milk feeding.
The basic philosophy of La Leche League is summarized in the following statements:
- Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby.
- Human milk is the natural food for babies, uniquely meeting their changing needs.
- Alert and 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 production.
- 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.
- 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.
For more information about LLL of WA’s efforts, programs and policies, please contact us or call our administrative phone line at 425-610-6119.
News and Press Releases
For news and press releases, click here.
Support of the International WHO Code
Written agreements and contracts governing sponsorship will include the information that LLLI fully supports the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent World Assembly resolutions relevant to the International Code, passed before October 2006. LLLI and LLL of WA shall not enter into sponsorship or endorsement or licensing agreements with any corporation that violates the International Code nor accept advertisements or exhibits from such corporations. The term 'corporation' includes subsidiaries and parent companies of known International Code violators. New contracts shall specify that breaches of this provision that occur or become apparent during the term of the contract will result in the contract being terminated.