Good turnout of breastfeeding mums for the Big Latch On
Seventeen mums with 18 babies turned up at the Wholemeal Cafe last Friday morning for the Big Latch On, part of a national attempt to break the world breastfeeding record. In the corner at the rear is Well Child Nurse Helen Bracefield. Photo: Gerard Hindm
The Wholemeal Café really came alive on Friday 6 August when 17 mums bearing 18 breastfeeding babies turned up for the Big Latch On.
This was again part of a national attempt organised by the Women’s Health Action Trust to break the world breastfeeding record and promote awareness of the importance of breastfeeding. Similar events were organised simultaneously all around the country, involving hundreds of mothers, including celebrity Silver Fern and “supermum” Julie Seymour, who turned up with 27 others at the Waipuna Early Childhood Centre in Linwood, Christchurch. Thirty-eight mothers and their babies turned up in Nelson, and another 29 in Motueka.
Local organisers, midwife Pamela Goffriller and Well Child nurse Helen Bracefield, said they were rapt with the Wholemeal turnout.
“The message is getting through, and that is you can’t beat breast milk,” said Helen. “For a while we got away from it, had this crazy notion that formula was somehow better. Breast milk has got stem cells, growth hormones, antibodies and a whole lot of other stuff that formula can never emulate.”
One mother at the local Latch On was Amanda Thompson, who had her hands full managing her two nine-and-a-half-month-old twins, Angus and Charlie.
“They still love a good feed. It’s great to come along and encourage other mothers with younger babies not to give up too early.”
Although Plunket provided the drinks for the meeting last Friday, it no longer has an operational branch in the Bay, due to lack of support, said Helen.
“The Collingwood branch closed down first, around three or four years ago, then Takaka followed last year. We still have a Plunket community rep—who is Tyler Langford—who organises things like this Big Latch On and funding for the parenting group. Then there’s Clarissa Gray, who organises the car seat scheme, and she’s available every Thursday from 10.30 to 11.30am behind the BNZ. A big plus also is that we now have Celia Butler as our lactation consultant.”
Helen stressed that all the money raised here for Plunket is now spent back in the Bay, and that the staff in our community hospital are trained to be “baby friendly”.
“All in all I think we still provide good postnatal support here in the Bay.”
Gerard Hindmarsh
