New Breastfeeding Support Website for Otago And Southland
New Breastfeeding Support Website for Otago And
Southland
Media Release Tuesday 18 August 2015
Breastfeeding Support Otago and Southland (BFSOS) has created a new website www.breastfeedingsos.co.nz to ensure mothers and their supporters can easily access information during this important time.
The new website, funded by the WellSouth Primary Health Network, makes it easier for families to find the 80 Breastfeeding Peer Supporters across the region - from Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown, to rural towns including Kurow, Kingston and Te Anau.
It also offers useful resources about breastfeeding, and is also a good reference point for healthcare professionals looking to direct their clients to appropriate services.
WellSouth Health Promotion and Projects Co-ordinator, Sophie Carty said breastfeeding is the best way to provide new-borns and infants with all the nutrients they need. “Key to supporting breastfeeding is knowledge of what to expect, how to breastfeed, and access to hands-on, practical help with latching and general problem-solving. Peer Supporters can help with these.”
The website launch coincides with this month’s ‘The Big Latch On’ and World Breastfeeding Week, and complements the support already available in the region from a large group of Breastfeeding Peer Supporters (BFSOS). BFSOS, a free service for mothers by mothers, is a group of voluntary Breastfeeding Peer Supporters. They are trained to provide non-judgemental support and information on the normal course of breastfeeding, including overcoming problems and common barriers. This may include one-on-one support; phone, text or email help, information group drop-in sessions, or home visits. There is also a Dad Peer Supporter.
Wakatipu Peer Supporter Administrator, Catkin Bartlett, affirms the value of the initiative: “The peer support programme is a really effective initiative which helps to empower mothers experiencing breastfeeding challenges and to make choices that suit their family.”
ENDS.