A Sunshine woman is petitioning Brimbank council to open a breastfeeding support centre.
Sara van Ree, 29, started her petition for a free breastfeeding drop-in centre staffed by lactation consultants in Brimbank after struggling to find the support she needed to feed her newborn son, William.
Within five days of the change.org petition going live on October 30, her petition had been signed by more than 70 people.
Mrs van Ree, who gave birth at Sunshine hospital, said she contacted Western Health for support, but was told she was unable to return to the hospital for help.
“I then asked my maternal and child health nurse, and she told me to go Werribee [Wyndham council’s] breastfeeding drop-in centre].
“I was unable to drive at the time, due to medical reasons, so I would have had to catch two trains and a bus.
“With your first child, that’s very daunting,” Ms van Ree said. She relied on the help of her mother, extended family and friends, but the experience convinced her Brimbank needs its own service, particularly considering its low rates of breastfeeding.
A 2010 state government-commissioned Breastfeeding in Victoria report found only 48.6 per cent of Brimbank babies aged three months were still breastfed, compared to the state average of 60.5 per cent.
Brimbank council’s community wellbeing director Kath Brackett said the council is keen to support breastfeeding, but would not say if it would consider a drop-in centre.
The petition is at www.change.org/p/brimbank-city-council-establish-free-breastfeeding-drop-in-support-in-brimbank.
