Breastfeeding Week was celebrated early this month in New Zealand, but WellSouth health promotion specialist Jo O’Connor is adamant that every week is breastfeeding week. 

Jo oversees the programs providing breastfeeding support for new parents, and enabling them to breastfeed if possible.

“We know that all women are vulnerable with new babies,” she said.

WellSouth works with community organisations such as Mums 4 Mums to give access to specialist support such as lactation consultants, and training peer supporters.

“It takes a village of support around a woman to make it work,” Jo said.

One of the women who needed that support, Lauren Hunt, is now training as a peer supporter in the hope others will find the process easier than she did.

Lauren’s son and first child, Nico, is now 13-months-old and the 32-year-old mother said prior to his birth, she had not been sure whether she would breastfeed.

“I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of it,” she said. “I’m a shy person and I didn’t like the idea of exposing myself.”

She did choose to breastfeed, but had difficulty doing so.

“For me, it was quite painful and I should have reached out and got help. I tried to stick with it because it was a really nice bonding time.”

She said she asked at the hospital about how painful she was finding the process, and was told that was normal.

She now knows that is not the case, and validating other women’s feelings and difficulties is one of the reasons she chose to train as a peer supporter. She said she would be more proactive about difficulties if she has a second child.

“I think I would be a lot more relaxed and if I did struggle like I did with Nico, I would reach out and ask for help.”

She also credits her employer for being very supportive throughout her pregnancy and after Nico was born, as part of her village of support. Lauren works as an estimator for Design Windows in Cromwell and has returned to work 25 hours a week, doing some of her work from home and taking Nico to the office with her when she works from there.

Lauren’s boss, John Hancock, said she had wanted to return to work after being off on maternity leave and family orientation was important to the success of the business.

“Given that we have all been changing how we work lately with Covid, we were able to work with Lauren to work from home,” he said.

Lauren said she takes Nico with her to the office every second Monday for staff meetings and every Friday, and John said they are happy to have the child in the work area. 

“Passing a baby around is quite easy, and he normally is ready to sleep after that,” he said.

Jo, from WellSouth, said the support of such employers is a vital part of empowering new mothers to make things work for their circumstances. 

“It’s all about enabling breastfeeding and making a difference for working parents,” she said.