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Your baby

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding 

Breast milk is the best food for your baby. Read more about breastfeeding

Breastfeeding support 

There are a number of organisations in the Wellington, Porirua and Kapiti Coast who provide support with breastfeeding. These include:

 

CCDHB Breastfeeding classes

To book into a breastfeeding class see the downloadable form for dates and times and then book online at 

There are breastfeeding antenatal (pregnancy) classes available at Wellington and Kenepuru Hospital. These are also offered in Chinese Mandarin at Johnsonville Plunket Family Centre.

Please feel free to bring along a support person if you can.

The classes are free.

These classes are always well attended, and women are often turned away because they are full. If you find you are unable to attend, cancel your online booking so your place can be given to someone else.

There is also postnatal (after birth of baby) classes called Little Latch On if you stay at Wellington Hospital: Monday to Friday, 10.00-11.00am tell your visitors not to come at that time.

 

Links to resources and information discussed in classes

Hand expressing https://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/articles/video-hand-expressing-breastmilk

Using a pump and your hands at the same time to make more milk http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html

Remember, if you have a risk factor for low milk supply ( induction of labour, caesarean section, polycystic ovaries, diabetes, baby in NICU, IVF, obesity and some others) it is very valuable to have some colostrum for your baby, especially on the 2nd night.

Check with your LMC midwife or consultant if they are happy for you to start expressing and collecting your milk whilst you’re pregnant. If you experience uterine tightenings whilst expressing, or any bleeding, then stop and consult your LMC.

Breastfeeding DVD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shhSsbEcqkI 

YouTube clip showing how to latch your baby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l5BpqllTLg

http://www.skintoskincontact.com/ssc-based-mother.aspx why skin to skin is important

http://www.llli.org/resources.html La Leche League - for great information about breastfeeding

The Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative provides advice about breastfeeding, links to youtube, and if you want to know more about proven health benefits of breastfeeding

http://www.kidshealth.org.nz/good-latch-key-successful-breastfeedingThis site has graphics of latching baby at the breast, and hand expressing

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/breastfeeding-questions-support The NZ Ministry of Health’s breastfeeding website

Expressing and latching breastfeeding videos 

These videos provide advice on how to breastfeed and solutions to problems you may encounter.

How to Express Breastmilk (with Mandarin subtitles)

Attaching your baby at the breast (with Mandarin subtitles)

Is your baby getting enough milk? (with Mandarin subtitles)

Increasing your milk supply

Deep latch technique

Read more about healthy eating, support services, looking after your health while pregnant, support services, newborn screening programmes and parenting help, information and courses.

You can also find out about giving birth at our hospitals, as well as support from our community midwifery and obstetric teams here.

Screening, tests and checks

There are a number of tests and checks that will be offered for your baby in the first few weeks:

  • A referral to Orthopaedics will be done to check their hips if your baby has risk factors.
  • A midwife will complete a test shining light into your baby's eyes to make sure there are no cataracts or other eye problems (Red Eye Reflex).
  • Newborn Hearing Screeners will arrange a hearing test as close to your baby being 48 hours old. See Newborn Hearing Screening on the National Screening Unit website for more information.
  • There will be a blood test (sometimes called the Guthrie test) that involves pricking your baby’s heel to check for rare disorders (PKU test). See Newborn Metabolic Screening on the National Screening Unit website for more information.

Power to protect

When your baby keeps on crying

One of the hardest times can be when your baby keeps on crying and you can’t work out why. If you find yourself getting upset, it’s OK to put your baby down gently in a safe place, walk away and take a break.

Do not pick up your baby until you have calmed down. Your baby is more likely to calm down when you are feeling calm and in control.

Look after yourself. Make a cup of tea or coffee, or phone a friend or someone in your whānau.

You could also phone PlunketLine on 0800 933 922 or Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice or support.

Never shake a baby

Never, ever shake a baby. Never leave a baby alone with anyone who may lose control. A single moment of losing control may damage a baby forever. Babies can die if they are shaken.

If you ever think your baby has been hurt, call 111. Don’t let fear or pride stand in your way. It could save your baby’s life.

The Kidshealth website has a video called Power to Protect about how to cope with the stress of a baby’s crying and what can happen if a baby is shaken.

Related websites

Crying: what to do – Kidshealth
Why babies cry and what you can do about it.

Shaken baby syndrome – Kidshealth
Why you should never shake a baby. Also includes the Power to Protect video.

Last updated 22 September 2020.