New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance (NZBA), the NZ College
of Midwives and the Paediatric Society of New Zealand have
joined forces to remind New Zealanders that successful
breastfeeding involves the whole whānau.
World
Breastfeeding Week (WBW), runs from 1-7 August, and aims to
highlight the huge benefits that breastfeeding can bring to
both the health and welfare of babies, as well as a wider
impact on maternal health, focusing on good nutrition,
poverty reduction, sustainability and food
security.
The theme of this year’s World
Breastfeeding Week 2022 is Step Up for Breastfeeding. This
is a call for government accountability and the need to
strengthen the capacity of health systems, workplaces and
communities to protect, promote and support breastfeeding
across all levels of society through a Warm Chain of Support
for Breastfeeding.
NZ Breastfeeding Alliance Executive
Officer Jane Cartwright says, “The Warm Chain of Support
for Breastfeeding places the mother and baby at the core and
follows the first 1,000 days’ timeline. Midwifery-centred
care, the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and Well-Child
services for whānau provide a continuum of care to nurture
the mother, baby and their whānau who benefit from
culturally safe, ongoing support and breastfeeding
counselling.”
Paediatric Society neonatal specialist
Nicola Austin says, “New mothers need a supportive
environment, particularly support from fathers/partners, to
ensure breastfeeding is successful. Early health
professional advice, as well as whānau and workplace
support, are important factors in how long a mother will
breastfeed.”
“In Aotearoa New Zealand around 80
percent of babies are exclusively breastfed on discharge
from baby-friendly services. However, this percentage drops
significantly by six weeks after birth, and at six months.
We’d like to see more babies being exclusively and fully
breastfed for longer,” she said.
The New Zealand
College of Midwives is quick to remind the government of its
responsibilities as a Tiriti partner; to reduce systemic
inequities which result in food insecurity, poverty and
housing unaffordability – all factors contributing to the
broader stresses many whānau are consumed by. Chief
Executive Alison Eddy says inequities in breastfeeding rates
are part of a much wider issue.
“If whānau are
living under a cloud of poverty, education is not enough.
Chronic stress due to food or housing insecurity is a
constant barrier for some of our whānau, who are not in a
position to make healthier choices, either for themselves or
their babies in this state. Of course, education is a part
of the wider strategy, but creating an equitable society
where no family, new mother or baby are left behind or
unsupported is the real solution. Health professionals and
whānau alone cannot solve these issues; significant changes
to social policy are required and we call on the New Zealand
government to prioritise lifting whānau out of poverty so
that they can
thrive.”
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