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.
This is from Maya Bolman, an IBCLC who has done a lot of work on engorgement, shared with permission.
Introducing Breast Gymnastics for Engorgement.
Very gently and slowly lift your breast with both hands up and down, left and right. Then make a circle moving breast clockwise few times and then few times the other way. Repeat the same with the other breast.
The movement is the key to decrease swelling inside the breast. It will feel softer! Repeat Breast Gymnastics before each feeding as needed! It takes a little time but can make a big difference!!
So turn on Hokey Pokey song and move your breasts. 🤱🏻🤱🏾🤱
The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding alongside solid foods for 2 years and beyond. That’s a lot of breastfeeds! It’s hard to avoid feeding out and about, and parents should be able to feel comfortable breastfeeding wherever and whenever their child needs to 🤱
However, if you’re unsure about breastfeeding in public it can help to know your rights. It’s reassuring to know that in NZ, breastfeeding and expressing are protected under the Human Rights Act. It is illegal for someone to stop you breastfeeding or expressing almost anywhere. You can read more here —> www.hrc.co.nz/files/5314/2378/0071/14-Dec-2005_16-09-38_breastfeeding_flyer_English.pdf
Breastfeeding in public is not only a basic human right, it normalises breastfeeding in our society. If you see someone breastfeeding in public, give them an encouraging smile or some uplifting words. Chances are it’ll make their day 💕👍
We love this excerpt from Lauren Beldin’s book “The Places You’ll Feed” (and this interview with her —> breastfeedingworld.org/2016/08/interview-lauren-beldin-childrens-book-oh-places-youll-feed/). Let us know in the comments what weird/whacky/funny/ordinary places you have breastfed! 👇
#breastfeedinginpublic #breastfeedingrights #LLLNZ #WHO
[Image: Cartoon images of breastfeeding anywhere and everywhere, from Lauren Beldin’s book The Places You’ll Feed. Text: On a train! On a plane! At a game in the rain! Out to eat! On the street! With the dogs at your feet! At a club! In the tub! While you’re cooking up grub! By the pool! Keeping cool! Getting covered with drool! By the sea! On one knee! Or the stump of a tree! On a ride! Side by side! Where there’s nowhere to hide!]
💚Late Night LLLove 💚
Research shows that frequent night waking to breastfeed is actually a protective factor against SIDS
💤🤱🏾🤱🏼🤱🏻🤱🏽💤
#LateNightLLLove #LLLNZ #BreastfeedingSupport #KeepOnBoobin
via The Milk Meg
themilkmeg.com/why-our-breastfed-babies-and-toddlers-wake-so-frequently/
“Research shows that frequent night waking to breastfeed is actually a protective factor against SIDS. Dr James McKenna has done extensive research on this topic, you can find this information on his website: ( cosleeping.nd.edu/articles-and-presentations/articles-and-essays/).
Frequent night waking helps establish and keep up your milk supply. Research shows that babies take up to 20 per cent of their milk volume at night! For some women, especially in the early months or if you are going to be separated from your baby or toddler during the day, these night time feedings will be crucial for keeping up your breastmilk supply.”
Wise words from The Milk Meg - it is not possible to cuddle your baby too much!It is literally NOT POSSIBLE to cuddle your baby, hold your baby and breastfeed your baby too often. You will never look back and say, "Oh how I wish I didn't hold my baby so much." Soon you'll blink and they will be 16 years old. <3
Need support with breastfeeding and sleep? Your local LLLNZ group can support you with this and almost any other by breastfeeding challenge you can think of. Find your local group here:
lalecheleague.org.nz/get-help/
#LLLNZ #BreastfeedingSupport #Sleep
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Your local group library will have a range of sleep books including Sweet Sleep, or you can shop our online store lllnzshop.org.nz/sweet-sleep
If you are struggling with sleep, did you know a breastfeeding parent can safely
Co-sleep with their little one following the safe sleep 7 www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/sleep-bedshare/ 💤 💤💤
Make sure you join our private #OnlineMeeting group so you can follow the #LiveChat this morning from 10am.
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Join group:
www.facebook.com/groups/LLLNZonline/
Live chat runs monthly at 10am third Tuesday of the month 💚
Online meetings run monthly from 7pm on the last Tuesday of the month 💚
IS THRUSH CAUSING MY SORE NIPPLES?
“Persistent nipple pain in the early weeks of breastfeeding, or nipple pain that appears after several weeks or months of pain-free nursing, may be caused by thrush, which is a yeast infection of the nipples.”
www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/thrush/
🤷🏼♀️🤱🏾🤱🏽🤷🏽♀️🤱🏼🤱🏻🤷🏻♀️
#LLLNZ #NipplePain #BreastPain #BreastfeedingSupport #LaLecheLeague #Thrush #Resources #ThrushResources
Thrush passes back and forth between your baby and you very easily due to your dyad relationship. Make sure that whenever either of you is diagnosed with thrush, your health practitioners know that you are breastfeeding and prescribe treatments for both of you. Before you treat for thrush, make sure other possible causes of nipple or breast pain are ruled out, such as Vasospasm, issues with positioning or latch, mastitis, or oral ties. *This post is specifically providing Thrush resources.*
“Additional symptoms can include:
💥Itchy or burning nipples that appear fiery red, shiny, flaky, and/or have a rash with tiny blisters
💥Cracked nipples
💥Shooting pains in the breast during or after feedings
💥Intense nipple or breast pain that is not improved with better latch-on and positioning”
“It is essential for both you and your baby to be treated for thrush, because it is easily spread, and thrives in warm moist environments, such as your baby’s mouth. A baby may also have yeast rashes in the diaper area. Any skin that touches other skin is especially vulnerable for the breastfeeding dyad.”
Additional resources:
LLL Great Britain - Thrush
www.laleche.org.uk/thrush/
Ministry of health - Thrush when Breastfeeding
www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/thrush-when-breas...
KellyMom Thrush Resources:
kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/thrush-resources
[Image: mother frowning down at breastfeeding infant, text: is Thrush the cause of breastfeeding pain? #resources]
Need some support from the comfort of your own home? Not able to get out to meetings or coffee mornings as you would like? Live chat this week over in the Online Meeting group:
www.facebook.com/groups/LLLNZonline/
💚🤱🏾🤱🏼🤱🏻🤱🏽💚
#BreastfeedingSupport #LLLNZ #OnlineMeetings
Event here:
www.facebook.com/events/2286062698116603/?ti=icl
WABA World Breastfeeding Week is from 1-7th August and the Annual “Big latch on” is on Friday 2nd Aug. There are BLO events happened all over Aotearoa - follow Big Latch On (Aotearoa/New Zealand) for updates on all the events and to find the one near you.
#BreastfeedingSupport #BigLatchOn #LLLNZ #WBW
Did you wake up on the “touched out” side of the bed this morning from having your toddler latching on and off all night long?
If you are ready to gently stop breastfeeding your toddler to sleep and through the night, check out this excellent informative blog:
www.georginadowden.com.au/post/how-to-gently-stop-breastfeeding-your-toddler-to-sleep
It is possible with an older toddler to put gentle boundaries in place and transition away from breastfeeding at night with out completely weaning. You might find you are happy to continue the breastfeeding relationship for some time once you have reduced to a more manageable number of breastfeeds. The breastfeeding relationship is about two people and you need to be comfortable as well as your child. Have a read of the link above
#LLLNZ #EverybodyWeans #Nightboob #NightWeaning #BreastfeedingSupport