Breastfeeding Service

The Breastfeeding Service offers information and support to breastfeeding mothers up to three months after they have given birth at the Women’s. The service also offers information and support to women whose infant has been admitted to our Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

We offer primary and secondary outpatient and inpatient consultations for women during the antenatal and postnatal periods. 

The Women's recognises that breastfeeding is the best method of infant feeding. Breastfeeding positively influences the physical and emotional health of both mother and newborn. Staff at the Women's recognise, though, the right of the mother to make an informed choice about her baby's nutrition, and will support her in her decision.

The Breastfeeding Service is staffed by experienced lactation consultants who are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants.

For women with chronic or complicated breastfeeding issues, the Lactation Disorders Clinic operates once per week. Women will see either a lactation consultant midwife or a lactation consultant GP.

Specialities

Lactation consultants are available to support women, in hospital or after discharge, with breastfeeding advice, for example:

• positioning and attachment advice
• management of sore nipples
• assessment of milk supply
• medications and breastfeeding
• feeding support for twins or triplets
• cleft lip and or palate
• mastitis
• breast and nipple thrush
• tongue-tie
• any other breastfeeding concerns, including concerns arising during pregnancy

Clinical inclusion

This is an internal service only for women:

• who are booked to birth at the Women’s and require an antenatal breastfeeding consultation
• whose baby is in our neonatal unit

Please note: If patients are booked as a private patient or if they are a Medicare ineligible patient, a fee applies to this service.

Clinical exclusion

Patients who are not booked to birth or did not birth at the Women’s (unless their baby is in the neonatal unit)

Frequency

8:30am – 4pm Monday to Friday and closed on all public holidays

Referral

Women can be referred internally to the Breastfeeding Service or by their GP. To book or for enquiries, please call the Breastfeeding Service. 

Pre-referral guidelines

Women must be booked to birth at the Women’s or have an infant in the neonatal unit to utilise this service.

Appointment

A letter of confirmation will be sent to the woman after an appointment has been made.

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