8. LOUISA WALL (Labour) Link to this
to the Associate Minister of Health
What is the Government doing to encourage more mothers to breastfeed?
Hon STEVE CHADWICK (Associate Minister of Health) Link to this
Lots. Yesterday my colleague Damien O’Connor helped launch the draft National Strategic Plan of Action for Breastfeeding, which is out for public comment. This plan aims to improve breastfeeding rates by ensuring that the Government, the district health boards, health providers, and communities are all working together to improve breastfeeding rates.
Hon STEVE CHADWICK Link to this
Breastfeeding gives babies the best possible start in life, and we all agree with that. Evidence also tells us that there are health benefits for both the infant and the mother. Breastfeeding is important for bonding and infant growth, provides optimum nutrition, assists infants’ physical and emotional development, protects against infectious disease, and may also reduce the incidence of chronic conditions such as obesity. That is why our message to mothers is “breast is best”.
Judy TurnerIs the Minister concerned that the district health boards, which are currently trying to ascertain how many maternity beds they may need to provide, are receiving expert advice that includes strategies that they themselves admit will have a possible effect of reducing breastfeeding rates in that district health board district?
Hon STEVE CHADWICK Link to this
I think the issue the member raises does not have an influence on the support that mothers require to breastfeed, and also their ongoing support. It comes from their relationship with their lead maternity carer. The issue is not where the mother is breastfeeding, but whether she gets the information and the support she needs, both at hospital and at home, to ensure good breastfeeding rates.
Hon STEVE CHADWICK Link to this
The World Health Organization nutrition specialist Randa Saadeh yesterday endorsed the plan, saying that it would ensure that mothers get good support when they need it. However, although professionals are backing it, we are yet to hear anything from the National Party on breastfeeding. Maybe National members think it is just another pointless strategy; if so, would they abolish it? I think mothers deserve to know.