Nova Scotia Needs Postpartum and Breastfeeding Support

My wife and I attended prenatal classes and needed the breastfeeding follow-up support that have been recently cancelled by the provincial government. The follow-up service facilitated a much-needed medical treatment for our child and provided fantastic support throughout her first year of life. The cancellation of this service will remove much needed support for families province-wide and is a poor choice that will negatively affect NS children, women, and families.

We had two people come in to help and it was still stressful figuring it out

Absolutely critical if you ask me. Shame on you, Nova Scotia, for going backward in time.

This service must be maintained if we are to achieve higher rates of breastfeeding initiation and maintenance in Nova Scotia.

Very much needed!

mdrobson@yahoo. ca

I really feel in a culture where breastfeeding has not been normalized, it is incorrect to assume that because a mother is of a certain income level or education that she doesnt need a home visit with a Public Health Nurse. We have very high rates of C-sections and other medical interventions that can and often effects a mothers start in breastfeeding. There are also many practices in hospital that do not help mom and babes get off to the best breastfeeding start. In reality once a mother goes home the only true, free, easily accessable breastfeeding support Nova Scotia mother have is the Public Health Nurse. Doctors do not have the time or knowledge to give this kind of support. I am one of those mothers who would be considered to have all the resources necessary to make breastfeeding happen and I can clearly tell you with a visit and the support of a public health nurse I really dont think I could have made it through. As a mother, a woman, a health professional, and a feminist, I think to take this kind of support away from any mother is tantamount to saying breastfeeding is not a priority in Nova Scotia. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of socioeconomic new mothers in NS are often isolated from other mother and family. A lot of the time other family members and friends have not breastfed, so they can offer little support.

Please don't remove the human contact from this service. As a young Mom this was vital to me. We live in times were many of live far from the mothers/trusted women in our lives.

this is so important to help or mommmas and the health of their babies.

How can you so grossly underestimate the importance of such a service. It is a sad day when the government puts dollars ahead of family support. Parents go home when their babe is 24 hours old and expected to go to the internet for before and after birth care? It just goes to prove how little you know about child birth and family needs.

The breastfeeding support group I attended was paramount to my success with the first year of mothering. I experienced significant difficulties with breastfeeding and it was the support of a wonderful public health nurse who helped me succeed in nursing. My daughter's health improved as a result of the help I received. At 18 months we are still breastfeeding and she continues to benefit from it. Also, I met many wonderful and supportive other new moms who helped me so much while on maternity leave. Without the support I am certain I would have experienced post partum depression. Please continue providing this very essential service for ALL new moms, not just those classified as "high risk". All new moms are in a vulnerable state while they adjust to their new role and everyone wins when moms are supported and able to form healthy attachment bonds with their child.

This program is essential & not just for low income families. Just because you are a higher earner doesn't mean you can afford a doula or know how to breastfeeding. What are you thinking? Such a failure .

Shame on this decision!! How can we assume that everyone has internet access or the skills to naavigate the system??

Many woman need this support, I believe babies should breast feed if the mothers can produce milk . It is Better for the health of the baby and the mother. The support needs to continue and get better .

The one-on-one visit from the public health nurse was an incredibly necessary part of the success I had while breastfeeding my son. I can't imagine this service not being offered to new moms.

I consider postpartum and breastfeeding support to be essential to the well-being of new mothers. Please continue to fund prenatal classes and postpartum follow up for every new mother in NS.

although I believe that there may be a more effective and less costly way to provide prenatal classes the postpartum care and breastfeeding support provided by public health nurses is invaluable to new mothers, new babies and new families. when you leave the hospital you think you have it all under control only to be home for two days and find out that caring for and breastfeeding are far more difficult and uncertainty sets in. the great thing is that they call and talk- you can have a phone consult and then decide if you need a visit. how many people will turn to unnecessary doctors trips or er visits because things arise they didn't anticipate? this service is not only necessary for families but for our health care system!

This is a huge part of preventative health for babies and moms! Please help!

I wouldn't be breastfeeding if i did not have support and instruction on trying different holds and nipple care. Those early days and weeks can be hard!

A much needed service