Warmest Greetings,

As we come more fully into Spring, it is amazing to see how many babies are blessed upon this Earth.  As animals, it is the most favorite time for our bodies to give birth.  Just as the Earth gives birth to the seeds of our food and an array of colors; Spring is Mother Nature's celebration of birth.

Celebrating the energy of this time, The Healthy Family Network offered a Community Baby Shower at Notre Dame Church in Southbridge for its 3^rd year.  Families were able to visit with many business and organization that support a healthy start to a family such as La Leche League of Sturbridge, MOMs Club of Sturbridge, InBalance Massage Studio, Cafe of Life Family Chiropractic, Maternal Goddess Doula services, Kennedy Donovan Center and more. 

At our table, parents enjoyed making a "Parent's Tool Box" filled with a band-aid to "heal the boo-boo's of life," a rubber band "to remain flexible," a Hershey's Kiss for "love," a bow to symbolize the "bond of breastfeeding" and more.  Our booth:

Thank you to LLL Member Jenn Reed who organized this
wonderful event and offering a Nursing Station.

Many BLLLessings,
Erin Abrams, LLL Leader of Sturbridge, MA

Previous Meeting Notes:

At our last meeting we talked about the Risks of Formula.  One that everyone shared an experience about, was how breastfeeding creates a bond that can not be duplicated in a lab.

Mothers at our meeting shared many wonderful experiences of the beautiful bond that breastfeeding has allowed them to create and deepen with their child.  Breastfeeding for many at the meeting found so much value in the time spent with their child as it creates a place to breathe together, to share a quiet loving moment, skin to skin contact and cuddling, and that they enjoy the continuing ability to nourish and sustain a life. The breastfeeding relationship is a wonderful way to watch you and your child grow together.  

Thank you to all that attended and shared their stories and experiences.

Mark Your Calendars & join in the FUN!!!
Toddler Playgroup:
Open to all mothers that have toddlers nursing and siblings or plan to nurse through toddler-hood.
Date: June 9th
Time: NOTE: NEW TIME: 1 PM
Location: NOTE: NEW LOCATION: Auburn High School Playground.  A great fenced in playground that is suitable for all ages.
Please join us for some outside fun!  Send an email to info@lllsturbridge.org or check on Facebook for last minute cancelation/location change due to weather.
Click here for directions

Nighttime Meeting:
Date:   June 18th
Time: 7-8:30PM
Topic:  There's a New Baby in Your Life.  Topic is flexible, your questions and concerns are top priority.
Location: Earth Spirits on Rt. 20 in Sturbridge
NOTE: Our Nighttime meeting has been low in attendance and many working mothers find this meeting time the most valuable and accessible to a breastfeeding community.  In the tradition of LLL, please join in the discussion and support our community .  All you have to bring are your experiences that you have encountered with breastfeeding and help support another mother that could use a bit of breastfeeding wisdom. ;)
Breastfeeding babies and toddlers who would be unhappy away from their mothers are welcome.
Click here for directions.

Daytime Playgroup:
Open to all ages
Date:  June 26th 
Time: 10-11:00 AM
Location: If the weather is nice, we will be meeting at Spencer Playground.   If raining, we will meet at the Sturbridge Federated Church - check website night before for update.
Open to all moms, nursing children and siblings.  The Church has a nursery stocked full of great toys and there is an open area for kids to run around.  Click here for directions.

	Julie and Gareth Roberts of Worcester welcomed their first son, Owen Blue on May 3.  Birth Weight: 7 lbs, 7 ounces Birth Height: 20 1/4 inches
	LLL Leader, Suzanne Holden and her family welcomed in their second child, daughter Gabriella on May 7th weighing 6 lbs 6 oz., 20 inches.
	Sarah Oxman and her family welcomed in third child, Jake Bryant who was born on May 21st weighing 7lbs 9oz.
Congratulations to all the families - Happy Breastfeeding!!

Overcoming Postpartum Depression
Tori Caswell OK USA From NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 25, No. 3, 2008, p. 20

I want to share my experience of postpartum depression. My depression was most unexpected and I felt like "the only person who's ever been through this." I felt guilty, too. I try to share my story whenever I can because one of the most comforting things to me while in the depths of depression was to talk to other mothers who had also been through it.

I was able to breastfeed my son, Edward, a few hours after birth and things got off to a wonderful start. When Edward was two weeks old, my husband returned to work. When he left, I started feeling very anxious, disconnected, discouraged, and depressed. These feelings became so strong, I decided to move in with my parents for a while so that I could be with someone at all times. Things seemed just to get worse, and it was then that my mother suggested talking with a health care professional about medication. While I was open to the idea, my husband was strongly opposed to it, partly because I was breastfeeding. The effects of the medication I was prescribed on nursing infants are not well researched, but what research there is suggests a low transfer to milk and no side effects. After much discussion and research, I decided that using the medication while continuing to breastfeed was the best choice for me. My husband was hesitant, but ultimately supportive.

Looking back, we both agree that continuing to breastfeed was the best possible thing I could have done to help with postpartum depression. I remember days when I would only hold my son, or even look at him, when I was feeding him. Through breastfeeding, journaling, talking, and taking medication for three months, I began to heal and overcome the depression. Through it all, our breastfeeding relationship has flourished. At 21 months, we still nurse often and I enjoy a bond with my son that I had never imagined possible. 

Read more great articles from New Beginnings e-Magazine with your $40/yr. LLL Membership. More info>>

What is our purpose as LLL Leaders?  Leaders know the importance of one mother helping another to recognize and understand the needs of her child and to find the best means of fulfilling those needs. Leaders provide information and support so that each mother can make the decisions which are best for her family.

What does a Leader do? Most Leaders fulfill the basic responsibilities of leadership, which are:
• Helping mothers one-to-one by telephone, email, or in person.
• Planning and leading monthly Series Meetings.
• Supervising the management of the LLL Group.
• Keeping up-to-date on breastfeeding information.

I have been leading LLL of Sturbridge for a few years by myself and would love some other mothers help me build and support the community.  If you would like to see if becoming a leader is right for you and your family, email me or visit:  LLL.http://www.llli.org/LAD/TaLLL/TaLLL.html. -- Erin

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	You don't have to join LLL to come to our meetings but by joining LLL of Sturbridge you help support YOUR breastfeeding community.  The $40 LLL Regular Membership  includes a discount in the LLLI Online Store, a subscription to New Beginnings e-Magazine and much more.  To find out more benefits and other levels of membership, visit http://www.llli.org/membership.html.
	New Beginnings e-Magazine Free with a 1 year membership - LLL Online Bi-Monthly magazine is filled with valuable information on breastfeeding and mother-to-mother sharing.
Please mail it directly to our group as your money will be directly contributing to your local community.  You can send check made out to LLL of Sturbridge, MA and mail it to PO Box 523, Sturbridge, MA 01566.

If you are in need of a book, please email Beth Sadecki at elizaspecials23@gmail.com  for any book that may be in our library. Beth can email you a list of books that range from breastfeeding, attachment parenting, discipline, tandem nursing, and more.

Items and events in this category are not associated with LLL and are listed here as a service to the community.  If you know of a community event, please email Erin at info@lllsturbridge.org by the first of the month.

Joshua Hyde Library, Sturbridge
On going Story Hour times - check website

Events at: http://www.town.sturbridge.ma.us/Public_Documents/SturbridgeMA_LibCal/?FormID=158&Date=20090501&calView=0 Old Sturbridge Village Story/Craft Time
Wednesday's at 10am, OSV offers a preschool story and craft program.  The program lasts about 45 minutes and includes a story and a related hands-on activity in the Village with a costumed staff person.  It is a lot of fun and quite a unique preschool experience.  The cost is $3 per week for members' Children and $7 per week for children of non-members.  Adults are required to accompany the children, but are not charged admission to the program.  No registration is required. More info: 508-347-3362 or www.osv.org.

Music Man
Location: Sturbridge Coffee House
Fee: Free
Date(s) and Time(s): Tuesday from 4-5PM; Fridays from 10-11am
More info: Friday mornings have been so popular that SCH has added him to Tues. afternoons.  Armed with his guitar, harmonica and childhood classic songs, the Music Man gets the kids full of energy.  www.sturbridgecoffeehouse.com  

Story time for PreSchoolers at Broad Meadow Brook Programs
Location: Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester
Fee: Adults $5.00 m/ $6.00 nm, Children $5.00 m/ $6.00 nm
More info: http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Broad_Meadow/index.php

La Leche League International has a mother-to-mother forum on their website that is a great resource for mothers to share experiences on their time.  Much like how LLL meetings first began: experienced mothers helping new moms, and friends supporting each other, the online forum is another way to tap into a breastfeeding support group.  To connect to the forum, go to: http://forums.llli.org.

Auburn High School Playground - Located at 99 Auburn St.  After passing Toys R Us, Petco and the Auburn Mall - continue up Rt. 12 to the first set of lights after the Mall - this is Auburn St.  Take a left and go about a 1/4 mile.  Turn left into the High School (McDonalds will be on your right).  Follow the driveway which will go in front of the school and then it turns left where you will see the blue and white playground. http://www.auburn.k12.ma.us/website/high-school.

Kennedy Donovan Center - Located on Rt. 169 in Southbridge. Look for the yellow building half way between Rt. 20 in Charlton and entering Southbridge on Rt. 169.  Sign has a big "KDC." on it.

EarthSpirits - http://earthspirits-herbals.com - Located on Rt. 20 (East bound side) above TJ O'Brien's.  After entering Sturbridge from the MASSPike, drive down Rt. 20 West, go to your fourth traffic light (at Rt. 20 and Cedar St.) and make a left hand turn to reverse your direction onto Rt. 20 East - immediately you will see the entrance to EarthSpirits.

Sturbridge Federated Church - Located between the Town Hall and Library.  take Rt. 131 off of Rt. 20 when entering Sturbridge.  Travel up a 1/4 mile and you will pass the Post Office (red building) on your left.  At the traffic light, take a left and park on your right side.  If you need additional parking you can park across the street in the back of the Town Hall.  The Federated Church is adjacent to the Joshua Hyde Library. Enter through the side entrance and take the elevator down to the nursery.  From the elevator, take a right and enter through the doors and the nursery is on your left.

Spencer Playground - From Rt. 20, take Rt. 49 to Spencer.  At the end of Rt. 49, take a right.  At your first stop light (McDonald's is on your right), take a left at the lights.  About 1 mile on your left you will see the playground but will have to turn left on a side road (sorry, not sure of the name of it) to access the playground and park. If you see the playground, you will see the road to take a left onto.

Submission are accepted by the first of each month, if not they will be included in the following month's newsletter.  Please send submissions to info@lllsturbridge.org.

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