Bev Pownall

Breastfeeding: A key to a healthy mother-infant relationship?

This presentation examines ways in which a mother can prepare during pregnancy toward a healthy mother-infant relationship, and factors which may affect that relationship.
The primary health practitioner can have considerable influence on women’s decisions to initiate breastfeeding and its duration, yet many practitioners have had no formal education in this area. By understanding and then providing information to mothers on practices which have been demonstrated to support breastfeeding, practitioners can influence the mother’s level of self-confidence, self-esteem and what is perceived as a satisfying experience. This can in turn positively influence the mother-infant relationship.
Ways that practitioners can be proactive will be discussed. Antenatal immersion, the effects of labour analgesia or anaesthesia on the newborn, and advocating skin-to-skin at birth can have a positive influence on the breastfeeding relationship and the overall mother-infant relationship.
The presentation will include a brief discussion on the hormone Oxytocin. Non-pharmacologic treatments for depression and their effect on breastfeeding will also be summarised.

Intended audience: This presentation is suitable for a wide audience ranging from those who have little breastfeeding knowledge or experience to those who are very experienced. A checklist to assist new practitioners to recognise “successful” breastfeeding will be provided.

Biography: Bev Pownall, MPhil, IBCLC; RM; RN, completed her Masters degree thesis by examining the level Baby Friendly Hospital implementation in New Zealand hospitals. She helped develop the NZ Breastfeeding Authority BFHI documents and is a member of the NZ National Breastfeeding Committee. Bev has also served as the editor of the NZ Lactation Consultants Association journal and on the NZLCA Executive and has been the Conference Convenor for four years. Her background includes public health nursing, well child nursing, midwifery and more recently lactation consultancy. Bev works as the BFHI Project Manager at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland.