Parents need...
- More access to lactation consultants. Can there be more support for women when they’re breastfeeding? This is not something that can be learned from a brochure. It’s hands on! The maternity wards in New Zealand hospitals have such hardworking and devoted staff, but they’re so busy that many women in these stories weren’t able to get the help they needed at the start.
- More realistic information at antenatal courses. Let people know, before they have their baby, that if they don’t manage to exclusively breastfeed for six months they haven’t failed. People asked for statistics to be provided on how many women do breastfeed and until what age. It is possible to outline some of the problems that people might face without the risk of people choosing not to give it a go.
- A more reasoned approach to breastfeeding. Rather than the hard line approach that breast is the only option for feeding your baby, what about making it the first choice but letting people know that there are other options? Most importantly, having to take one of the other options does not mean a woman has failed. Decisions should be based on what’s best for baby and mum.
- To support, rather than judge each other. Just giving someone a smile when they're feeding their baby (with a breast or a bottle) can make such an enormous difference to how that person feels.
