Making Breastfeeding work for employed Mums

Making Breastfeeding work for employed Mums

It’s World Breastfeeding Week next week, this year the theme is “Breastfeeding and Work – Lets Make it Work” highlighting the challenges that families face when a new mum returns to the workforce.

To celebrate, local breastfeeding support La Leche League Lower Hutt are organizing the Big Latch On, a free event for local breastfeeding mums at The Dowse Art Museum on July 31 from 10am.

Hutt La Leche League Leader Merewyn Groom says “As the value of breastfeeding into toddlerhood becomes more widely understood, increasingly mums are continuing to breastfeed after their maternity leave ends.”

Hutt Physiotherapist Jennifer Dutton has done the return to work twice, each time after a year’s maternity leave. “For us it was very important to continue breastfeeding, for me it was a given that I would, and I’m fortunate my employer Proactive are very understanding”. Employer’s attitudes are vital, some mothers are able to work from home or bring their baby to work with them, but this wasn’t an option as a health professional. “I would feed my boys as soon as I got home, it was a great way to reconnect and reestablish our closeness after I had been away at work.”

Dutton has found getting together with other breastfeeding Mums to be invaluable “I always go to the Big Latch On, it has such a supportive atmosphere” and she has also benefitted from attending La Leche League meetings “I was nervous to go my first LLL meeting so I asked my Mum to come along with me, but as soon as I entered the room I was warmly welcomed, felt immediately comfortable and learnt lots too! There is so much support from the other mothers that over the months I kept returning.”

The Lower Hutt Big Latch On event is one of hundreds taking place all over the country in celebration of breastfeeding for women and their families. The mass event aims to support breastfeeding women and celebrate the health-giving, mother-baby bond.

Recognising that breastfeeding mothers may well be at work, those who are not able to attend this event can take part via a virtual Big Latch On by posting a “Brelfie” – a breastfeeding selfie - to #biglatchonNZwww.facebook.com/biglatchonNZ

In 2014 more than 110 breastfeeding events were held in venues throughout New Zealand, and it’s not just a national phenomenon. The NZ born event has gone global, with 28 countries around the world now runningBig Latch On events involving more than 14,500 babies!

ENDS

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