Madeline Robertson has been receiving postnatal support from Canberra’s Maternal and Child Health (MACH) clinics, which are now internationally accredited. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
When Madeline Robertson was pregnant with her first baby, she felt like she was completely prepared for the realities of parenthood.
“I thought I went into it having done heaps of research, even for breastfeeding and the early days. I even went to the hospital classes; I did as much as I could,” she said.
“I went into it thinking I knew a lot, and then very quickly learned that I didn’t know as much as I needed to know.”
Luckily, parents can access their free, local Maternal and Child Health (MACH) services for postnatal support, which includes home visits, in-clinic appointments, baby health checks and vaccinations.
Those accessing Canberra’s MACH services are now receiving even more support, with the service just one of three in Australia to be Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) accredited.
This is a joint UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) project that aims to give every baby the best start in life by creating healthcare environments where breastfeeding is the norm.
While the initiative does have a focus on breastfeeding (the WHO recommends breastfeeding up to two years and beyond), MACH nurse Lisa Farrall said it was about much more.
“Some people think [BFHI] is about breastfeeding, but it’s baby-friendly. It’s about the growth and development of babies,” she said.
“We cover up until the child is five, and it’s all about early intervention and development and asking any questions.
“So much changes in five years of a child’s life, and that’s what we’re here for, to support as much as you need.”
Ms Robertson has been accessing her MACH clinic every few weeks, including the breastfeeding-specific appointments.
She felt the appointments were about both herself and her child, rather than focusing solely on the baby.
“Every appointment I am asked first, how are you feeling, and how are you going?” Ms Robertson said.
“And when you’re in the thick of it, sometimes you haven’t thought about that, and you just need someone to ask and just have an adult-to-adult conversation.
“It’s really supportive, and they know that if mum’s not happy, it’s going to impact babies.”
There’s also an Early Parenting Support line where mothers and fathers can have their questions answered, no matter when they arise.
“Being able to call a parenting support line and leave a voicemail is incredible because who knows what time of day it is, and sometimes it’ll be really late and they’ll get back to it the next day … it’s just knowing that you can call them or pop in and ask a question [that’s reassuring],” Ms Robertson said.
Becoming BFHI accredited has been about five years in the making, meaning those who accessed MACH services in Canberra years ago will notice some changes.
“Back even five years ago, we had a program called Early Days, which was just a drop-in group, and we could see women afterwards, but we [now] actually have dedicated … one-on-one tailored breastfeeding support clinics,” Ms Farrall said.
“The research shows that one of the biggest influences in helping support women to continue breastfeeding is the BFHI.”
MACH manager Sally Haseler described the accreditation process as challenging but worthwhile, as it provided the services with an opportunity to review what was offered, gather community feedback on desired changes, and allow nurses and midwives to upskill.
“One of the biggest things that it’s impacted is that we’re actually fostering a really beautiful culture about being inclusive of infant feeding and supporting families whichever way they choose to feed,” she said.
“We deal with a lot of the challenges of breastfeeding and a lot of complexities, not just the initiation of commencing breastfeeding.
“So it’s actually supporting families for their choice and really empowering them to have this beautiful, informed, respectful environment to be able to get the help that they actually really need.”
There are 12 MACH clinic locations across Canberra. The Early Parenting Support line can be reached on 5124 1775.
