La Leche League of The Garden State

Annual Breastfeeding and Parenting Conference

La Leche League of New Jersey invites you to attend the 2009 Breastfeeding and Parenting Conference! We hope that you will join us to celebrate the ways that healthy pregnancies, thoughtful births, breastfeeding, and gentle parenting are “Building a Healthy Foundation" for our children, and generations to come.

We're excited to offer many wonderful events, sessions, and opportunities for both families and professionals. Here are some highlights of this year's conference. 

Marian Tompson is one of the seven founders of La Leche League International and was president of La Leche League from 1956 to 1980. She is the mother of seven children, grandmother of sixteen, and great-grandmother of five. When questions and concerns about breastfeeding and HIV/AIDS arose in the late 1990s, Marian began to ask questions of her own. This resulted in AnotherLook at Breastfeeding and HIV/AIDS, a non-profit organization founded in 2001. Marian is the president and CEO of Another-Look which is dedicated to gathering information, raising critical questions, and stimulating research about breastfeeding in the context of HIV/AIDS.

Ina May Gaskin is known as the mother of modern midwifery. She is best known for her groundbreaking work in childbirth on The Farm and such books as Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

Ina May is a personable and dynamic speaker who brings with her the experience of a lifetime as a mother, midwife, and innovator. She is taking time from her busy schedule of attending births, challenging popular practice, and working on the Safe Motherhood Quilt Project to share with us her wisdom on birth, breastfeeding, and motherhood. You can hear Ina May speak as part of a full conference registration or purchase tickets a la carte. 

 Orgasmic Birth, as recently seen on 20/20, is a revolutionary film that is powerful, passionate, and thought provoking. It brings the ultimate challenge to our cultural myths by inviting viewers to see the emotional, spiritual, and physical heights attainable through birth as it dismantles untruths that women have been told for generations.

The many experts involved in this film provide credibility and add an intellectual edge that parallels the stunning emotional footage and impressive soundtrack composed by John McDowell, known for the score of the Oscar-winning documentary Born Into Brothels. Tasteful and moving, this film experience is not something you'll want to be left out of!

Tickets to see Orgasmic Birth can be obtained through enjoying dinner at the conference or purchased separately.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel has many amenities including breathtaking views, complimentary high speed internet in all rooms, an olympic sized pool, and a playground. It's also in a prime location in Cherry Hill with many local attractions, including an art museum, a science museum, a zoo, an aquarium, the infamous Sesame Place, and a number of historic sites.