La Leche League of Columbus, Indiana

07/28/2025

In Loving Memory of Martha Sears. 💙💙💙

In Loving Memory of Martha Sears

With deep gratitude and sadness, La Leche League remembers Martha Sears, a nurse, mother of eight, La Leche League Leader, and co-author of trusted books on breastfeeding and baby care.

Martha shared her warmth and knowledge with countless mothers around the world. Her gentle presence and belief in mother-to-mother support helped many mothers feel confident and connected.

“Breastfeeding is not just about milk. It’s about connection.” – Martha Sears

We send our love to her family and to all who were touched by her life. Her legacy of love and support will always be part of La Leche League.

If Martha’s work or words touched you, we invite you to share a memory or message in the comments below.

Credits: 📸 Photo courtesy of the Sears family – shared initially on AskDrSears.com Used with respect, in tribute to Martha Sears (1945–2025)

Alt text: Portrait of Martha Sears smiling, with the text “Thank You, Martha – Martha Sears, 1945–2025” on a blue background.

07/24/2025

06/17/2025

Bartholomew County Fair is this week! There is a place to change and feed your baby in the AC!

01/07/2025

Nurse n Chat will be closed tomorrow, January 7, 2025. Stay safe and warm.
If you need help, please call Natasha at 812-374-2746.

11/20/2024

You may have heard of the 4th trimester? And the fact that new babies don't like to be put down?

But why does it happen? Well, from an evolutionary point of view, babies are still in the "cave man" period. As a species, we have not really progressed. A new baby does not realise it's been born into the relative safety of the 21st century with video monitors, central heating and a lack of predators. To a baby being put down is a life and death situation

A human baby is very helpless, unlike many other mammals, and so relies completely on its mother for food, warmth, safety, security and love. The chest is their safe place where all of these are freely available.

Our evolution has not caught up with modern life. The babies that survived to pass on their genes are those that cried out when they found themselves on their own. It's hard-wired in our evolution. Babies need to instinctively protect themselves from being eaten by something, starving to death or becoming cold and uncomfortable! So when a baby realises it's on its own, it cries in order to tell it's mother to pick it up. It's a warning sign. It's saying "I'm here on my own and I'm in danger"

Once babies get to around 3 months of age, they start to realise that their house is safe and warm and that they get fed regularly, and predators are not a threat. And they can see better so they can see you are still nearby. At this stage, they are more likely to tolerate being put down somewhere for a short time as long as someone familar is nearby. Although some babies who are more sensitive and orchid tendencies may still not like it very much

Once they begin to move and explore the world they get a little braver. Sometimes too brave! However, they still likely to make sure there is someone familiar around and will check in frequently. This is why our crawlers and toddlers like to follow us everywhere, even to the toilet! They're just making sure they're safe!

Then they realise that they can get up to mischief when you're not around! And so don't always follow you anymore, preferring to didappesr to empty the cupboards, eat coal or climb on the windowsill whilst you're not looking!

10/09/2024

06/10/2024

We were never meant to live like this. Want to know why you’re so tired? It’s not just because your baby wakes all night. It’s not just because you’re nursing 24/7. It’s not because of your baby’s biological needs. It’s because we were never meant to live like this. In so much isolation. So alone. We were meant for a village. We were meant to lay in bed for weeks/months feeding and sleeping with our new baby while our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, cousins, neighbors, and friends helped out.

But there is no mother bringing us food and water. No grandma cooking the meals. No sisters playing with the other children. No cousins folding the laundry. No neighbors taking care of the house, and no friends providing support. Modern life is in constant conflict with childrearing and our biological needs. From returning to work at 6 weeks postpartum to little to no support in the postpartum period. The truth is many of us are just lucky enough to have someone drop a meal off but not lucky enough to have them actually come inside. And it’s not their fault. They don’t have a village either. There’s never been a mother to bring them food and water. Never a grandma to cook their meals. Never sisters playing with their other children. Never cousins folding the laundry. Never neighbors taking care of the house and never friends providing support.

Our babies are biologically designed to wake often and eat often. We are biologically designed for a village. Be easy on yourself and your baby. We were never meant to live like this.

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05/24/2024

What is La Leche League?

Yesterday on the Daily Double the contestant was a bit perplexed on the answer in Jeopardy.

*Thank you to Friends of La Leche League for this picture!