General News
4 April, 2023
Lactation comes to Wimmera
Mums across the Wimmera can now take advantage of the region's first full-time lactation service at Horsham’s new Maternity Outpatient Clinic. Breastfeeding support to families is now available five days a week, including specialist infant feeding...
Mums across the Wimmera can now take advantage of the region's first full-time lactation service at Horsham’s new Maternity Outpatient Clinic.
Breastfeeding support to families is now available five days a week, including specialist infant feeding advice, support and counselling.
Lactation consultants Jenny Bull, Steph Wallis and Jennifer Wilcox offer a range of experience and knowledge, including support to women experiencing breastfeeding difficulties as well as those who just wanted reassurance and advice.
“Lactation consultants are trained to help with painful nipples, milk supply, breast pumps and bottle choice, previous breast surgery, medications and breastfeeding, multiple pregnancy, cleft lip/palate and diabetes in pregnancy,” Grampians Health Maternity Outpatients Clinic manager Jane Rentsch said.
Ms Wallis said the service was a fantastic opportunity for families in the region to have access to in-home or in-clinic breastfeeding support from birth through to weaning their toddler or child.
“We are now pleased to offer home visits, in-clinic visits as well as a newly developed series of breastfeeding classes,” she said.
The first lactation class is offered at 16 weeks of pregnancy in conjunction with antenatal classes.
Topics covered include informed choice, benefits of breastmilk/breastfeeding, nutrition and preparation for breastfeeding.
The second class offered is approximately at 34-36 weeks of pregnancy.
This includes how breastfeeding works, skin to skin, establishing milk supply, positioning and attachment and how to tell if a baby is getting enough milk.
A third class operates for families approximately four weeks postpartum, providing an opportunity to get together with other parents to discuss post-birth issues including frequency of feeding, baby sleep patterns, milk supply, top-ups, engorgement, mastitis and tongue ties.
The breastfeeding service has six hospital grade Medela breast pumps available to hire as inpatients and/or outpatients.
For more details call the Maternity Outpatient Clinic on 5381 9010, or Yandilla after hours on 5381 9261.