Lactation consultancy

Ratonga whāinga / service users

This service is for Māori, Pacific, refugee and other vulnerable women requiring specialist assessment, support and guidance on lactation or breastfeeding issues antenatally and following the birth of their baby, in conjunction with primary health and other specialists or health care providers as required.

Ratonga whāinga / service objectives

This service aims to support Māori, Pacific, refugee and other vulnerable women requiring specialised breastfeeding help. It will:

• Ensure that women and health care workers have the confidence, knowledge, skills and attitudes to protect, promote, support, encourage and enable establishment and continuation of breastfeeding according to national standards and legislation.

• Contribute to an increase in the rates of breastfeeding in priority populations at discharge from maternity unit, at 6 weeks, at 3 months and at 6 months.

• Improve the health of children from the positive impacts of breastfeeding.

• Add to other initiatives designed to eliminate Sudden Unexpected Death of an Infant (SUDI)

Whakaurunga paearu / how to enrol

Women can be referred internally by Te Piki Oranga, or by their lead maternity carer (LMC), core midwife, GP, Well Child Tamariki Ora nurse, other health professionals or breastfeeding support persons/peer counsellors. Referrals are encouraged at the point when lactation or breastfeeding support is beyond the LMC, midwife, GP or nurse’s capability to help with. Self-referral is also possible.