Breastfeeding Friendly Spaces - Toi Te Ora

Breastfeeding
Friendly Spaces UPDATE
Issue Three
Breastfeeding Friendly
Project Making a
Difference
The Breastfeeding Friendly Team at Toi Te Ora –
Public Health Service (Toi Te Ora) would like to say
a big, heartfelt thank you to all the Breastfeeding
Friendly Spaces who contribute to the ongoing
success of our Breastfeeding Friendly project,
and also to those who contributed to the recent
project evaluation.
The evaluation found that the Breastfeeding Friendly project
is well suited, and is viewed positively by accredited spaces
and the wider Bay of Plenty and Lakes communities. It also
found that the project has successfully brought together
a wide range of stakeholders to raise the visibility of
breastfeeding in public. Accredited spaces, including private
businesses, have embraced the project which has resulted
in an annual increase in the number of accredited spaces.
Useful areas for improvement were identified and updated
to ensure the Breastfeeding Friendly project continues to
meet the needs of the various participating groups and the
wider community.
The Big Latch On
The Big Latch On is a community event held
every August to celebrate World Breastfeeding
Week, with the aim of protecting, promoting,
and supporting breastfeeding women. The Big
Latch On involves groups of breastfeeding women
coming together at registered locations around
the world to all ‘latch on’ (breastfeed) their child
at the same time. In New Zealand, last year’s
event saw 1628 latches across 114 venues. Let’s
see if we can beat this in 2015!
You can support the Big Latch On 2015 by hosting your own
Big Latch On event or by offering your venue for use. This
is also a great opportunity to help breastfeeding mothers
in your community easily identify your business as a
breastfeeding friendly space when they are out and about.
Communities may choose to hold events on either Friday
31st July or Saturday 1st August 2015. To see what events
are already planned in your area or to learn more about
hosting an event, please visit www.womens-health.org.nz/
programmes/breastfeeding-activities/big-latch-on
Your feedback confirmed the success we’re having with
helping mothers feel supported and comfortable to
breastfeed in public. Thank you for your help!
Linton Park Community Centre Gives Breastfeeding
the Thumbs Up
When approached about being part of the Breastfeeding
Friendly spaces project, Linton Park Community Centre in
Rotorua jumped at the chance to support such a worthy
cause. The concept of breastfeeding friendly aligned well
with the centre’s philosophy of service to the community and
becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Space had the full support
of the centre’s board, which includes a general practitioner.
“Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to invest in the future of
our community. Our centre takes pride in providing a supportive
environment to breastfeeding mothers who form a significant
part of the community utilising our facilities,” says Rick Mansell,
Coordinator at Linton Park Community Centre. Since becoming
Rick Mansell, Coordinator
at Linton Park Community
Centre proudly displays their
Breastfeeding Friendly signage
breastfeeding friendly accredited, the centre has received a
number of positive comments from community members who
have seen the breastfeeding signage being proudly displayed.
World Breastfeeding
Week
Topkids Goes the
Extra Mile
World Breastfeeding Week is
just around the corner! This
year’s theme is “Breastfeeding
and work – let’s make it
work!” The 2015 campaign
aims to empower and
support all working mothers,
regardless of their type of
work, to adequately combine
work with child-rearing, in
particular, breastfeeding. World
Breastfeeding Week organisers
have defined ‘work’ as paid employment, self-employment,
seasonal and contract work, including unpaid home and care
work.
Topkids Waihi Road in Tauranga have raised the
breastfeeding friendly bar! Their breastfeeding friendly
environment provides that bit extra for mothers and
whānau/families of their centre. In the Koru Room, which
cares for children aged three months to two years, the
breastfeeding area has new pillows for mothers to use when
breastfeeding, as well as a basket of goodies such as bibs, a
notepad, wipes, and flannels. “We want to make parents feel
comfortable and welcome. Doing that bit extra by providing
pillows for feeding is something we can do to create a
welcoming environment,” says Koru Room head teacher,
Letitia Peacocke. “It is commendable to see such passion and
commitment in support of breastfeeding mothers. This goes
a long way in making them feel comfortable and welcome
when they wish to breastfeed their babies,” says Bridget
Chiwawa, Breastfeeding Friendly spaces advisor.
There are many things you can do to support breastfeeding
in your workplace and wider community. Celebrate World
Breastfeeding Week in your workplace by promoting positive
messages around breastfeeding, and get involved in, and
promote events for the Big Latch On (Friday 31st July and
Saturday 1st August). You can also support breastfeeding
by helping your workplace and others to become a
Breastfeeding Friendly accredited space (www.ttophs.govt.
nz/breastfeeding_friendly).
Visit www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org for further ideas on
how to support mothers to continue breastfeeding while at
work.
Breastfeeding
Friendly tip
Displaying signage in your entry
area or window lets mothers easily
know you are breastfeeding friendly
accredited. If you need more or new
signage or stickers, please contact your
Breastfeeding Friendly spaces advisor.
Key Messages
For Staff
For new staff on induction, those returning to work, or as
an ongoing refresher, refer to these key messages about the
benefits of breastfeeding.
Why is being breastfeeding friendly
important?
The Ministry of Health recommends that mothers exclusively
breastfeed until their babies are around six months old,
and then continue breastfeeding with the introduction of
solid foods. Mothers may require support from their family,
health services, workplace, childcare centres, and the wider
community to feel encouraged and supported to breastfeed.
What are the benefits of breastfeeding?
 Breast milk is the best first food for babies to help ensure
optimal growth, development and health.
 Breast milk is easily digested, immediately available and
always fresh.
 Breastfeeding promotes health in both mother and baby.
 Breast milk provides babies with a perfect blend of
nutrients and protective antibodies, which play an
important role in protecting against illnesses like colds,
tummy bugs, allergies, asthma and infections.
Why should we support mothers to
breastfeed in public?
 Babies need to be fed anywhere and at any time.
 It can be daunting to breastfeed in public.
 Some mothers have had negative experiences when
breastfeeding in public.
 We need to help to mothers feel comfortable about
breastfeeding in public.
Did you know?
Breastfeeding is an international human right. Mothers are
permitted to breastfeed in public and at work under the
Human Rights Act (1993) and international law.
This means:
Mothers have the right to breastfeed their baby anywhere,
anytime.
So what can we do to be
breastfeeding friendly?
 Include a workplace policy in your training manual that
states you support mothers to breastfeed.
 Be supportive of mothers who breastfeed.
 Here are some practical options you can consider:
– Have a suitable space available for breastfeeding (not
the toilet!)
– Offer them a glass of water
What is Breastfeeding
Friendly Spaces
Accreditation?
Research has highlighted several reasons for mothers not
breastfeeding at all, or for stopping breastfeeding early. These
include mothers returning to work, the social perception of
breastfeeding, and the lack of knowledge around expressing and
storing breast milk.
Breastfeeding Friendly spaces accreditation creates and sustains
breastfeeding friendly environments with the goal of increasing
breastfeeding rates and duration. Normalising breastfeeding in
public helps mothers to feel more comfortable and supported to
breastfeed.
Toi Te Ora’s Breastfeeding Friendly Project launched the
accreditation process in July 2011. Since then over 180 early
childhood education services (ECE’s), businesses, cafes,
restaurants, retailers and libraries in Rotorua, Taupo, Western Bay
of Plenty and Eastern Bay of Plenty have created Breastfeeding
Friendly environments, and achieved Breastfeeding Friendly
Spaces accreditation. Overall, feedback shows the project is
sustaining supportive environments for mothers and their families.
Recommended Storage Times For
Breast Milk
• 4 hours at room temperature
• 4 months (approximately) in freezer
• 2 days in fridge
Checklist
Signed bre
astf
or signed p eeding policy
olicy that in
cludes
breastfeed
ing with re
view date.
Staff are aw
are of key
breastfeed
ing messag
es.
Comfortab
le space is
available.
Support in
pla
breastfeed ce for
ing staff (e
g: fl
break time
s, private a exible
rea for
breastfeed
ing
Milk storag or expressing).
ea
methods a nd heating
re in place
.
Information
is
service enro included in ECE
lment/start
er packs.
Signage is
displayed.
Reaccredit
ed every tw
o years.
Check out a Breastfeeding Friendly
Accredited Space Near You
Early Childhood Education
Services
Eastern Bay of Plenty
Anglican Homebased Childcare
Awakeri Playcentre
Mananui Playcentre
Port Ohope Playcentre
St Georges Education and Childcare Centre
Te Aria Toka Ki Te Whakatohea
Wairaka Playcentre
Western Bay of Plenty
4woods Early Learning Centre
ABC Bayfair
ABC Papamoa
Active Kids Early Learning Centre
Arataki Kindergarten
Ark Early Childhood Centre
Greenpark Playcentre
First Steps Mount Maunganui
First Steps Papamoa
Friends on Fraser
Little Sweethearts Montessori
Matua Plunket Kindergarten
Merivale Whanau Aroha Centre
Montessori at Bethlehem
Montessori at Otumoetai
Mount Community Kindy
OPEYS Education and Care Centre
Quality Kidz
St Mary’s Mount Maunganui
The Children’s Garden
TopKids Mount Maunganui
TopKids Ngatai Road
TopKids Waihi Road
Tutu Maori Home-Based Early Childhood Education
UrbanKids Early Learning Centre
Rotorua
ABC Central
ABC Hillcrest
ABC Kawaha Point
ABC Monokia
ABC Rotorua East
Central City Quality Educare, Pukaki St
Central City Quality Educare, Pukuatua St
Kidz World Rutland Street
Kidz World Brent Road
Kidz World Maisey Place
Kiwi Educare Ltd
Koutu Playcentre
Kreative Kidz
Mountain View Preschool
Ngakuru Playcentre
Ngongotaha Early Learning Centre
Rotorua Childcare Inc
Rotorua Girls High School Childcare Trust
Rotorua SFYP Childcare Centre
Quality Kidz
The Ole House Childcare Centre
Tiny Tots Educare
Topkids Lynmore
Topkids Pukuatua
Taupo
Abacus Childcare Centre
Central Kids Himonea Taupo
Community Kindy Heuheu Street
HeuHeu Community Kindy
My Treehut Early Learning Centre
Taupo Children’s Corner Lakewood Drive
Taupo Chidren’s Corner Duncan Street
Taupo Children’s Corner Wheretia Street
Taupo Family Playcentre
Taupo Kids Community Centre
Taupo Family Playcentre
Taupo Preschool
Topkids Motutaiko
Topkids Totara Street
Wairakei Playcentre
Businesses, Health Providers,
Cafes and Restaurants
Western Bay of Plenty
Arena Cafe (ASB Baypark Mount Maunganui)
Cameo Cafe
Dry Dock Cafe
Deli on Top
Greerton Library
Grindz Cafe
Mount Maunganui Library
Mudan Teahouse and Eatery
Pacific Coast Technical Institute
Pak N Save Papamoa
Papamoa Library
Pirirakau Hauora
Robert Harris Coffee Roasters (Tauranga)
Royal New Zealand Plunket Bay of Plenty
Sober Camel
Spring St Cafe
Tauranga Library
Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service
Vagabond Café
Eastern Bay of Plenty
Baxters Cafe
Cafe Coco
Columbus Cafe - The Hub
EastBay REAP
Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance
JJ’s Cafe
Julians Berry Farm
Kapai Kai Cafe, Opotiki
McDonalds Family Restaurant
Pak N Save Whakatane
Poppys Cafe
Robert Harris Coffee Roasters (Whakatane)
Royal New Zealand Plunket Bay of Plenty
Ruth’s Kitchen
The Village Bakery
Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service
Tuwharetoa Ki Kawerau Health Education and Social
Services Trust
Whakatohea Iwi Social and Health Services
Rotorua
Aunty Annie’s
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
Le Cafe De Paris
Linton Park Community Centre
McDonalds Fenton Street
McDonalds Fairy Springs
McDonalds Te Ngae
Mr. Rental
Nando’s
Rotorua District Library
Rotorua Plunket Clinic
The Bakehouse Café
Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service
The Bakehouse Cafe
Wendy’s
Taupo
Cinnamon Fine Indian Cusine and Bar
Fast and Fresh Bakery Cafe
Friends Cafe
Kissa-Kai Japanese Cafe
Modern Midwifery
This directory of Breastfeeding Friendly spaces can also
be found online at www.ttophs.govt.nz/breastfeeding
Local Breastfeeding Friendly Spaces Advisors
For more on the breastfeeding friendly spaces accreditation visit our website
www.ttophs.govt.nz/breastfeeding or contact one of your local breastfeeding
friendly spaces advisors at Toi Te Ora:
Rotorua and Taupo
bridget.chiwawa@bopdhb.govt.nz
Western and Eastern Bay of Plenty
briar.macken@bopdhb.govt.nz
Bridget Chiwawa
07 349 7269
Briar Macken
07 577 3783
Want to become Breastfeeding Friendly?
Do any of your neighbouring businesses want to become
breastfeeding friendly accredited?
Contact one of your local breastfeeding friendly spaces
advisors on 0800 221 555, or for more information please
visit our website www.ttophs.govt.nz/breastfeeding
© Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service, 2015