Robin Bentley coordinated the detailed information and links below, from contributions by many people. Some comments are Robin's, and some are mine. —Sandra Dodd

According to the La Leche League Leader and conference organizer for the La Leche League of Maine/ New Hampshire Area Breastfeeding and Parenting Conference, she received confirmation from her LLL “Team” that Dayna was a Leader from 2001 to 2006 (retired in 2007). “Six years as a La Leche League Leader” would be accurate if counted from the beginning of 2001 to the end of 2006.

2003, There was a list of meetings published on Dayna's site of meetings that did not follow the guidelines for the series of topics for LLL meetings. (Madison, NH, Library) http://web.archive.org/web/20030723181951/http://gentlebeginnings.org/conway_area.htm

~ Claimed on February 9, 2007 (Shine with Unschooling Yahoo Group) that she had been leading monthly meetings for 7 years. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shinewithunschooling/message/34407 That link is only for group members; here is a backup

~ Claimed on May 19, 2007 that she was offering La Leche League meetings again (which would be after her retirement). ~ Claimed that she had started the Conway Area LLL in the year 2000 and led meetings for 5 years. Post entitled "La Leche League is Back," May 2007. https://thesparklingmartins.blogspot.com/2007/05/la-leche-league-is-back.html

Discussion on an unrelated forum involving two moms, from December 2007. At the very end: "Bad news on the LLL in Conway. It no longer meets.": http://healthcare.itags.org/wap_q_health-care_3554

~ Claimed on March 30, 2008 that she was retiring from her 8 years as a La Leche League Leader. https://thesparklingmartins.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-chapter-begins.html

~ Claimed on June 30, 2008 on her blog that she was at that time a La Leche League Leader (1 ½ years after her actual retirement; 3 months after her “announced retirement.”) http://unschoolingamerica.com/aboutdayna.asp (page removed)

Unschooling America “About Dayna”

Dayna Martin lives Joyfully in the White Mountains of NH with her husband Joe and four children Devin, Dakota, Ivy & Orion. She and her family enjoy spending all day, everyday together pursuing their passions and creating the lives they desire. Dayna is a Radical Unschooling Advocate who promotes Peace through encouraging kindness and acceptance.

"In college I majored in Early Childhood Education and Astronomy. I am a La Leche League Leader, Natural Childbirth Educator, Doula, and writer for such magazines as Life Learning Magazine, New Beginnings, Connections eZine of Unschooling and Mindful Parenting and Live Free, Learn Free Magazine.

My husband and I have been the Featured guests on the Dr. Phil show introducing 50 million viewers to the concept of Radical Unschooling. I also offer Radical Unschooling workshops locally several times a year. I founded the group, Radical Unschooling New England where I offer support to local Unschoolers. My dream is to appear on the Oprah Show promoting Unschooling and respectful, peaceful parenting.

In the last few years, I have worked for Birthwise Midwifery School educating midwifery students about the history of childbirth education and breastfeeding. I founded the "Babywearing Project" promoted by Mothering.com. I also have hosted chats about Unschooling sponsored by Mothering Magazine. My husband and I own and operate a home-based business, Willow Toys".

~ Claimed on June 16, 2009 (posting as “Unschooling America”) on the Mothering.com community board that she has been a La Leche League Leader for 8 years (2 ½ years after actual retirement). http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1098774/new-must-read-unschooling-book#post_13945692

~ Claimed on March 28, 2010 on Unschooling America site “About Dayna” that she had been a La Leche League Leader for 9 years. (page removed) (3 years after actual retirement).

Dayna Martin is a speaker and writer who promotes freedom and peace through loving kindness and acceptance. Dayna is wife to Joe and proud mother of four Always Unschooled children. The Martin family lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and enjoy travelling the country in their motorhome.

Dayna is a passionate Radical Unschooling advocate who enjoys speaking about her unique and joyful family life and inspiring others on their path. Dayna and her husband, Joe appeared as the featured guests on the Dr. Phil Show in 2007 introducing 50 million viewers worldwide to Unschooling and Peaceful Parenting. Her family has also appeared on Fox News in Sept. 2008 promoting Radical Unschooling in a segment with John Taylor Gatto. Dayna also created a YouTube video series about Unschooling and Peaceful Parenting.

Dayna's work has published in the book, Life Learning: Trusting Children to Educate Themselves, Life Learning Magazine, Live Free Learn Free Magazine, New Beginnings Magazine and the German Version of The Unschooling Unmanual.

Dayna has been a La Leche League Leader for nine years and is also a Natural Birth Educator, Attachment Parenting Councilor and Birth Doula. She founded The Babywearing Project featured in Mothering Magazine. She also founded a non-profit organization offering parent to parent support for others on the path to Radical Unschooling called, Unschooling United.

Dayna is honored to support others on their path to Radical Unschooling and respectful peaceful parenting. If you are interested in having Dayna speak at an upcoming event of conference, check out her Speaking page or contact her directly.

~ Claimed on March 12, 2011 that she is a La Leche League Leader in blog post entitled “True Food Freedom.” ["Being a childbirth educator, LLL Leader and Doula, nutrition is something that I am very interested in." (4 years after actual retirement)] http://daynamartin.com/unschooling-blog/true-food-freedom/ (post removed, re-written and re-posted August 11, 2011) (backup)

~ Claimed on June 7, 2012 that she has been a Leader for 10 years (5 years after actual retirement). Rethinking Everything: Freedom & Responsibility Interviews: Barb Lundgren Interview with Dayna Martin http://recordings.freeconferencecalling.com/mp3/537274/537274/MN2124_06072012090416964_1062201.mp3 (approximately 2/3 of the way through the interview)

Dayna Martin on the Vibrant Home, Family Bed, Raw Food & Finding Private Time Transcript Page 11:

DAYNA: I don’t know. I wonder that myself. Reading the history of co-sleeping was helpful to me way back when I read that book “Family Bed” – 13 years ago, and reading the history of how we then were separated at night, but I just think it’s fear. Fear like people thinking they’re going to become too dependent. And they’re going to somehow harm them emotionally or psychologically because they’re going to become so dependent they’re never going to be able to sleep on their own. That was the biggest argument that I would hear – I’ve been a La Leche Leader for ten years and in meetings mothers bring up that “Oh, I’m so concerned that if I sleep next to my baby it’s never going to sleep on its own.” In fact it’s such a myth. It’s such a deep seated fear – well, an excuse really -- I think people have used for so many years to push children away. That they’re never going to be able to have freedom. It’s kind of selfish, to not take the responsibility to parent your child at night. One thing Joe always said which I loved is that we parent our children – we are physically with our children for twelve hours more every night than every other parent. There’s no way that that can’t be beneficial and aid them both physically, health wise, mentally and emotionally.

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As yet undocumented, but more information might arrive:

Two different people who inquired locally heard that Dayna was asked to resign for having misrepresented La Leche League. Dayna did resign in 2007, but claimed later to still be a leader.

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