Mother to Mother breastfeeding support in New Zealand
Connect with a Leader near you
Questions or worries about breastfeeding? Our accredited La Leche League Leaders are experienced mothers who have been trained to provide information and support for breastfeeding. We can help over the phone, you can come along to our informal meetings, or ask a questions via email and on social media. All of this is free and confidential.
Find your local group
You can find details of our accredited breastfeeding helpers and group meetings across Aotearoa here.
Our mission is to help mothers to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, education, information, and encouragement and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.
Online Facebook Meetings
Meetings are held the last Tuesday of every month from 7:30pm
You can join us for breastfeeding support and information from the comfort of your own home – pyjamas and beverage of your choice optional.
No technical ability required, just join the meeting group and be online that evening.
We’d love to see you there.
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Make a difference in your home and make a difference to La Leche League New Zealand and the families we support. Now's the time to stock up for the new year - kitchen, laundry, bathroom, toiletries - what’s not to love! Check it out www.switchyourspend.co.nz/
Something to try whenever feeding or parenting gets hard 💚When feeding or parenting is hard, try this:
1. Take a deep breath.
2. unclench your jaw.
3. Put baby somewhere safe and go drink some water. When you come back:
4. Notice one lovely thing about your baby that you can
a) See
b) Smell
c) feel
d) hear.
Are you up feeding? Is your baby or toddler reverse cycling? Some great information on what that is here 💚 #latenightllloveReverse cycling
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What is this?
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Well its when baby decides that they prefer to feed more at night than in the day!
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Newborns often feed more in the night than in the day because they have not yet developed their circadian rhythm. Often babies are more active in the womb when the parent is resting a they continue this pattern when they com out.
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Distractible babies or toddlers often prefer to feed at night as they are just too busy in the day!
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If the breastfeeding parent returns to work the baby may take just enough milk from a bottle to see them through the day, or just have solids and water if they are over 6 mths. They then make up for it when they are reunited and through night by feeding a bit more. This can actually be useful if you are struggling to pump enough or don't want to or can't pump at work. It certainly worked well for my bottle refusing baby!
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Tips for coping:
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*Back to work*:
Keep baby close.
Consider safe bed sharing.
Feeding in side lying position so you can snooze (commonly known as breast sleeping!)
Lie in at weekends.
Go to bed early.
Nap with baby when you're together.
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*Newborns*:
It takes a few weeks for them to differentiate night from day, keep it light and bright inthe day and dark at night to help. Breastmilk also helps! It has more of the substance that makes melatonin in at night.
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*Distractible babies*
Find a quiet place to feed.
Feed lying down
Put baby in a sling to nurse
Try catching baby just as they are waking from a nap, before properly awake. This will likely mean a camera less distractible feed.
Offer the breast frequently if short feeds.
Find your own rhythm 💚
www.facebook.com/136580916400946/posts/3427262977332707/?d=nWhen your baby is born, life can feel chaotic and overwhelming. Gradually gentle patterns emerge and you can build on those - following your baby's lead. Our article looks at the rhythms and routines of a breastfeeding baby, and explores why strict schedules can lead to stress all round.
www.laleche.org.uk/rhythms-and-routines/
[Image: mother in striped top smiling at the camera as she breastfeeding her newborn. Text: At first, life with a new baby can seem quite chaotic, but if you relax and observe your baby you will find gentle patterns emerging.]
#latenightlllove from La Leche League USA 💚💚"All the feel good things we adults enjoy--a hug, a morning cup of coffee, a favorite sweatshirt--we get to choose for ourselves. Nursing and being held are the only comforts a baby has in this strange new world, but he can't get them on his own. How cool that when we use nursing to meet our baby's comfort needs, it automatically provides all the food he needs too." -Sweet Sleep: Nighttime And Naptime Strategies For The Breastfeeding Family