LLLNZ Board of Consultants

Alison Barrett BSc, IBCLC, MD, FRCS, FRANZOG - Obstetrician recently returned from Ontario, Canada and settled back in Hamilton - International speaker      

Carol Bartle RN, RM - Coordinator, Canterbury Breastfeeding Advocacy Service, Te Puawaitanga Ki Otautahi Trust

Annette Beasley MA (Hons), PhD - Lecturer in Social Science Research, Victoria University, Anthropology

Judith Galtry DipWomensStud, BA, PhD - Researcher, policy analyst for Cancer Society

Selene Mize (Bachelor of Science), JD (Juris Doctor) - Senior Lecturer in Law, Otago University  

Kath Ryan BPharm, PhD, MPS - Associate Professor, Head Centre for Postgraduate & Higher Degree Studies, School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University Melbourne

Janet Weber BS, MS, PhD - Lecturer Food and Nutrition, Massey University

Dr. Leila Masson M.D., MPH, DTMH, IBCLC, FRACP - Consultant Paediatrician, Auckland

 

Profiles

Dr Leila Masson M.D., MPH, DTPH, IBCLC, FRACPleila_sml

I graduated from Medical School in Germany and decided to immediately go to Pakistan, as a volunteer, to set up a health centre in a village with no electricity, no running water and where there was not even a road. During my two years there I found that simple interventions, such as teaching hygiene and supporting breastfeeding and healthy nutrition had the biggest impact on the health of the village children. I met a mother with twins - she had chosen to breastfeed the boy, but not the girl (in line with local values when it comes to gender) and the result was shockingly sad: the boy was round cheeked and thriving, while the girl was skin and bones, dying of malnutrition. I managed to convince the mother to breastfeed both children and within a few months, the girl changed into a chubby and smiling baby. This made a huge impression on me, and of course also on the mothers in the village, who from then on breastfed 100 percent of their babies well into their second or third year.

During my paediatric residency at the University of California in San Francisco, I had the benefit of a supervisor who was a strong supporter of breastfeeding, and who encouraged me to learn about the science of lactation. By the time I had my first son, Ilan, I had myself become a spokesperson for extended breastfeeding, which was not the norm in the US. I gave lectures on the benefits of breastfeeding to my colleagues and took a four-week course on breastfeeding policy taught by UNICEF and WHO in London. When my second son Manu was born five years later in New Zealand, I attended LLL meetings, became a lactation consultant, and a member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.

It was not easy to find like-minded mothers and medical colleagues, but fortunately New Zealand has made great progress in making breastfeeding the norm. La Leche League has played a vital role in this development and in connecting breastfeeding mothers, so that they would not feel so isolated.

I now see patients in my beachside paediatric practice in Auckland. I am confident that the best start to a healthy life is by being exclusively breastfed for six months, then continuing to breastfeed for at least two years - my two extremely healthy, intelligent, and sweet sons, were both fed well beyond that age, but they will not allow me to say for how long!

 

Selene Mize (Bachelor of Science), JD (Juris Doctor) - Senior Lecturer in Law, Otago University  selene_mize_small

I was lucky and knew about La Leche League from an early age.  My mother was a Leader in Illinois in the USA, and I remember attending a LLL picnic as a young child in the early 1960s.  She continued on in both local and national roles with LLL and I watched her breastfeed my youngest brother for many years.  There was never any doubt in my mind that I would someday breastfeed my own children. 

 

Fast forward to the mid-1980's.  I had become interested in New Zealand after seeing the gorgeous photos published in overseas tramping magazines.  I came over as a tourist, was offered a job teaching law at the University of Otago, and decided to accept after working as a lawyer in New York City for another year.  I was also a scuba diving instructor and met my future husband at a local scuba diving club.  Kelvin and I have two wonderful daughters, Rachel and Helen (now both at University).

 

I became a Leader just before Helen was born.  It was great to attend a series meeting as a new Leader, along with my new baby, a toddler and my mother (who was visiting from the US).  I led meetings for two different Dunedin groups and did all the usual LLL things for several years, until it was time to move on.  More recently, my role with LLL has been limited to writing for Mosaic on topics related to the law and occasional consulting. 

 

Highlights of my experience with LLL:

  • Counselling calls where you really feel that you have made a difference in a mother and baby's lives, and where you receive an almost embarrassing amount of gratitude in exchange
  • Writing an article for New Beginnings on parenting babies who confuse night and day -- yes, this came from personal experience -- which was published in both New Zealand and the US, and which someone posted online, translated into Portuguese!
  • Being able to spend time and share ideas with the like-minded, smart, capable and caring women who are involved with LLL, and to give and get support (which we all need at times).