LACTATION consultant Judy Russell says Ballarat mothers need workplace and social support in choosing to breastfeed as long as they feel comfortable.
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The Ballarat Health Services clinical midwife lactation consultant has found the key reason women stop breastfeeding is a return to work. She said greater awareness and support offers a mother choice for what suits them best.
“Generally most women choose to breastfeed but it can be hard when they return to work, or they lack support, or they are concerned about a lack of supply,” Ms Russell said. “For a lot of women, breastfeeding doesn’t always work out even if they have the support and motivation and really want to keep breastfeeding.
“Our job is to help women through the process and, if needed, find another alternative.”
Ms Russell said it was always important mothers had accurate, evidence-based information to support their decisions and they need not feel guilt in the decisions they made.
BHS works with maternity in and outpatients and partners with the City of Ballarat to offer a lactation consultant at Parent Place.
As an organisation, BHS has baby-friendly accreditation, which allows staff and visitors private spaces to feed and express and flexibility for staff to have time to feed or express so they may continue to breastfeed. BHS also promotes women and child-friendly tests and medication while mothers are breastfeeding.
BHS is preparing to mark World Breastfeeding Week, which starts Monday. The annual awareness week celebrates and highlights benefits of breastfeeding in communities across the globe.
This year’s theme is ‘Breastfeeding: a key to sustainable development’. The theme focuses on the relationship between breastfeeding and the environment on a global level: climate change, nutrition, food security, poverty reduction, health and wellbeing, productivity and employment.
BHS and City of Ballarat will celebrate breastfeeding week with morning tea at Parent Place on August 4.