In recent years, LLLI has made major efforts to improve diversity and equality, in order to be more accessible to all who seek breastfeeding support.
It was inspired by a shrine in St. Augustine, Florida, dedicated to "Nuestra Señora de la Leche y Buen Parto", meaning "Our Lady of Happy Delivery and Plentiful Milk".
In her letter of resignation, she described the organisation as a "travesty" and described trans women who breastfeed as "men who, for whatever reason, want to have the experience of breastfeeding.
A common theme repeated by Leaders at a LLLI meeting is "take what you like and leave the rest," acknowledging that every mother-baby dyad is unique and each mother knows her own baby best.
In some locales, there is a centralized phone number (for an entire country or a US state, for example) where mothers can either receive help directly or be referred to a Leader in her area.
In other areas, these Leaders directly publicize their telephone numbers, and sometimes e-mail addresses, via the LLLI website, FB groups, telephone directories, and posters in parenting centres, libraries, physicians' and midwives' offices, health centres and other places where pregnant women and new parents might seek information.
[15] The last LLLI International Conference took place July 2007 in Chicago, and included a seminar for health care professionals.
Some Areas offer continuing education seminars for health care professionals in addition to ongoing training for Leaders.
Currently LLLI publishes a bimonthly nursing and parenting journal, Breastfeeding Today, available online and by link to members worldwide.
La Leche League International is a core partner starting the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA).
[20] LLL China has been active since 1995 and is currently in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Qingdao, Suzhou, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou with meetings offered in both English and Chinese.
Some Leaders had gone ahead with a decision to set up a separate organisation and on July 2, 1980, the inaugural meeting was held of the Association of Nursing Mothers which then formed a break-away group.
In November 2024, LLL GB's trustee and PR director resigned in response to an update of the charity's inclusivity policy that explicitly allowed transgender women who want to breastfeed to attend support groups.
La Leche League Ireland was founded in Dublin in 1966 by the biologist and botanist Nora (Norah) A. Leach.
LLL Italy was officially founded in Milan in 1979 by a group of mothers and Leaders Shanda Bertelli and Rosalind Nesticò.
Today it is based in Rome, with more than 120 active Leaders and is part of many working groups on breastfeeding including that of the Italian Ministry of Health.
In 2015, three more leaders became accredited and joined the ranks of LLL Lebanon: Sara Luis Hannan, Joelle Farkh and Mirna El-Sabbagh.
[24] In 1968 Elisabet Helsing started a mother-to-mother nursing support organization called Ammehjelpen [Wikidata] (meaning breastfeeding help).
[26] In 1973, the Swedish organization Amningshjalpen was formed following the Norwegian model, which in turn was inspired by LLL signature publication The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.
Another activity is pre-natal classes for parents focusing on breastfeeding and lays a foundation for caring for the infant, using attachment theory [27] as a base.