Council opens up breastfeeding support service

By Gabriel Garcia

Jun 19, 2023

New service: Maternal and child health nurse Hayley Summerville, and maternal child health and immunisation nurse and community development officer Mary-Ellen Gilmour at the Nurmurkah Maternal and Child Health Centre, which now provides a free breastfeeding support service. Photo by Contributed

“This breastfeeding support service shows the council has a really strong commitment to families.”

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These are the words of maternal child health and immunisation nurse and community development officer Mary-Ellen Gilmour, explaining the new breastfeeding support service run by Moira Shire Council.

The service is located at the Nurmurkah Maternal and Child Health Centre and came about as the council identified a gap in existing breastfeeding support services.

Ms Gilmour said the service was designed to support those throughout the breastfeeding cycle.

“This is a free service for mothers and families who are breastfeeding their infant either directly or with expressed breast milk or who have progressed further along in their journey, either weaning or combining breast milk and formula feeds”, she said.

Clients will work in conjunction with a lactation consultant or MCH (maternal child health) nurse to ensure mothers or expectant mothers achieve their breastfeeding goals and have a positive experience.

According to Ms Gilmour the service, which opened in late May 2023, has been fully booked and the support service is just another part of the wider council commitment to serve the community.

“One of council’s strategic objective pillars is to provide customer-focused and responsive service delivery.”

Appointments can be made by phoning the council on 5871 9222 or by speaking with a maternal child health nurse at the Nurmurkah Maternal and Child Health Centre.