(LifeSiteNews) – “That you may suck, and be filled with the breasts of her consolations: that you may milk out, and flow with delights, from the abundance of her glory.”  – Isaiah 66:11 

When my husband and I took marriage preparation courses, we purposely chose instructors who were devout Catholics and loving parents. They befriended us and shared with us that they practiced “responsive and attachment parenting” methods and encouraged us to do so if we ever had children. We had a beautiful Latin High Nuptial Mass for our wedding and spent our honeymoon in Mexico City at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We were soon blessed with a most precious “honeymoon baby” girl, whom I desired to care for deeply, with all of my heart.  

After making the Consecration to St. Louis de Montfort several times during my pregnancy, I felt that Our Lady wanted my husband and me to embrace the natural methods of responsive and attachment parenting that we had learned about previously. Thankfully, my husband agreed with me, so we entered into a beautiful way of life as a family, one that encouraged us to bond with our children and base our relationships on trust. Responsive parenting generally includes being open to life, using a baby carrier, breastfeeding responsively and exclusively for the first six months of your baby’s life and possibly much later, responding lovingly to your baby’s cries, co-sleeping with the baby while he or she is young, and homeschooling. And even though these parenting techniques can be exhausting at times, they are deeply rewarding, inspiring, sanctifying, and fulfilling.  

The joyful sacrifices of love that I offered to my child were returned to me in abundance. I really loved knowing that I was caring for my baby in the way I believed the Heavenly Father desired me to, as well as along with my husband’s desires as well. However, most of our family members and friends did not use these methods or were uneducated about them, and thus didn’t understand or accept me using them. I was often criticized for “spoiling the baby” or “nursing too much” or letting the baby “control” me, just because I was being sensitive to her cries, nursing whenever it felt natural to do so, and trying my very best to listen to my sensitive, maternal instincts.  

Providentially, when the criticism had reached its peak and my frustration was mounting, I discovered the Catholic Nursing Mothers League (CNML). Over the next few years, I occasionally contacted CNML Co-Founder Gina M. Peterson for support and encouragement. She was always so kind, wise, and accepting, and most importantly, she was always so Catholic! With the help of the CNML, I was able to mother my children in the way that I felt led to do so, despite the discouragement and misunderstanding I received from others. Further along my motherhood journey, I traumatically lost beautiful, conjoined twin infant daughters, and I turned to Gina when I struggled with breastfeeding issues resulting from that.   

I experienced first-hand that Catholic Nursing Mother’s League mentors were the “real deal” – they were like angels sent from heaven to help mothers to embrace the wondrous gift of breastfeeding and heap blessings upon the babies in their arms.  

The humble beginnings of the CNML  

Gina and her friend Pamela founded the CNML in 2006.   

“What inspired both of us to start CNML was a suggestion Sheila Kippley gave in her book, Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood – the idea that a volunteer lactation consultant could help nursing moms in her parish,” Gina said. “At the time, both Pam and I were La Leche League Leaders and I was working on the requirements so I could take the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant exam.”   

One little step led to another, and soon CNML began to help more and more mothers care for their infants according to the Creator’s awe-inspiring designs for motherhood. 

“Pam was the original executive director, but in 2009, she asked me to take over her position,” Gina said. “I see CNML as a way I can share God’s love with nursing moms. I hope that Catholics will support breastfeeding because it is part of God’s ideal design for moms and babies. It offers so many wonderful benefits for moms, babies, and their relationship. The breastfeeding relationship is one beautiful way moms can show Christ’s love to their children.” 

The Catholic Nursing Mother’s League currently has 29 mentors who minister to nursing mothers in the United States, India, and England. They have a monthly online support group meeting, an active Facebook group, and maintain a website featuring breastfeeding and ecological breastfeeding information, as well as spiritual support for mothering. The CNML website has been averaging more than 6,000 views per month. CNML sends nursing mothers gifts of breastfeeding books, nursing mom gift bags, and prayer shawls.  

Over the years, the work of the CNML and its many supporters has borne abundant fruit, touching many hearts and souls along the way.  

“As for CNML, the doors just keep opening for us and this helps me to stay motivated to keep it going,” Gina expressed. “It all started with the lawyer Pam found to help us become a 501(c)3 organization. She did it pro bono for us. Furthermore, John and Sheila Kippley and several others have been very generous in helping out CNML financially or with their time.”  

The essential Catholic aspect of the CNML 

Impressively, the mission of the CNML is unique in that it aims to serve mothers and their infants in a profound way, one that reaches to the depths of their being. 

“CNML aims to support the whole person – body, mind, and soul,” Gina explained. “It is so nice that we can pray and talk about our faith during our meetings, as well as when we are actively helping nursing mothers.” 

The Catholic aspect of CNML is a powerful means to bring the merciful love of the Heart of Jesus to those in need. 

“Catholic nursing moms really appreciate the support and encouragement we provide,” Gina noted. “I believe that is why CNML is growing. We are very unique in that we add the spiritual dimension to our ministry. Yes, I definitely see this is a work that is needed in the world!” 

And amid the prevailing “culture of death” and its pervasive darkness, the CNML shines out with the radiant light of life. As explained in a recent article available on LifeSiteNews, Woke breastfeeding organization eliminates the word ‘mother’ from its mission statement, La Leche League has removed the word “mother” from its website as well as its mission statement. 

La Leche League was originally established in 1956 as a support group for mothers who chose to breastfeed their babies in a world where it was often not encouraged. Thanks to the CNML, mothers have an alternative source of support to turn to as they nurture their children. 

Even though CNML mentors like Gina are generously sacrificing their time, talent, and treasure to this ministry, they find themselves abundantly blessed in return: “I love helping nursing moms! I just feel it is what God wants me to do. I nursed all my children. It was such a wonderful experience that I want to share it with others. I enjoy all aspects of the CNML ministry! However, I especially enjoy making handmade items for nursing moms and sending out care packages to them. In our digital world, this personal touch is so important.” 

Mentors often go “the extra mile” in taking care of those they work with.  

“One time I emailed a nursing mom to see how she was doing,” Gina recalled. “She was going through a very challenging time and I did my best to reassure her and to give her some ideas about her breastfeeding challenges. I told her I would pray for her and that she could call me on the phone if she needed someone to talk to. This is really what my vision of a CNML mentor is – to provide breastfeeding information and resources, be a friend, and pray for and help nursing moms on their faith journey.”  

Cherishing the gift of breastfeeding 

Without organizations like the CNML, many mothers would give up on breastfeeding. At times, it can be extremely difficult, and impossible to master without some loving guidance. Many moms today who desire to breastfeed are simply told they should just use formula because it’s “easier,” rather than receiving support to pursue their goals of nursing. And then, of course, there are rare cases in which a mother physically cannot breastfeed (for example, in the case of a mom who has had a double mastectomy), either.  

And yet, breastfeeding is such a tremendous gift which God wants to give to the family. As Sheila Kippley wrote in Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood, “Breastfeeding teaches a mother that she is important and needed… In Scripture, we read about the good care by nursing mothers. The child is ‘quieted at its mother’s breasts’ (Ps. 131:2), is satisfied with the mother’s ‘consoling breasts’, and is safe at its ‘mother’s breasts’ (Ps. 22:9). Good mothering is depicted in Scripture through the mother who nursed and has close physical contact with her baby.”  

Having given birth to eight babies myself and presently being “with child,” along with having nursed all my surviving infants well into toddlerhood, I can confidently say that breastfeeding is one of the most amazing, fulfilling things a woman can possibly do. The moments I have spent nursing my babies are the moments I have lived out my vocation with untouchable authenticity. Breastfeeding has given me a poignant, contemplative vision of motherhood and has inspired me to embrace the rugged crosses that motherhood throws my way.  

Breastfeeding weaves a tapestry of serenity between the heart of a mother and her baby; it sings the timeless melody of nurturing and maternity; it reveals the marvelous wonders of God’s paternity. When a mother nurses her little one, she is clothing him with dignity, strength, and honor. She is allowing her divinely-ordained maternal instincts to sew seeds of charity between her and her baby; she is conquering the anti-life, anti-family spirits which attack the pearl of motherhood in the midst of the Culture of Death. When a mother nurses, she and her baby are ineffably united; the bond between them is unbreakable because it is anchored in Our Lady of La Leche’s own heart. Breastfeeding helps lay the foundation for a lifelong friendship between a mother and her child, one that can stand against all odds. The heavenly nourishment of breast milk, drawn from a mother’s own flesh and blood, is like no other source of vitality on the face of the earth – truly, it is in a league of its own.