Local parents and their gorgeous bubs have starred in a new culturally safe and educational film designed to support and promote breastfeeding in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra.
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'Ngaminjang Djama' - The Breastfeeding Project is part of the Ministry of Health grant provided in consultation with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait community and was led by Jennine Heidke, clinical midwifery specialist at Nowra's Binji and Boori.
Binji and Boori, an Aboriginal specific service that targets families whom are pregnant or have children aged 0- 5, teamed up local lactation specialists Nicole Boegt and Linda Deys, Cultural Inclusion Aboriginal Health Worker Jaimie Carpenter, and the Ilawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to produce the film.
Jennine Heidke has more than 20 years experience working on the Shoalhaven Hospital maternity ward and now at Binji and Boori, and said when it comes to breastfeeding there's always a common question - is my baby getting enough milk? Other queries about pain when feeding and supply often arise too.
So when Jennine was offered the chance to be the lead on the project, she stepped out of her comfort zone and said it was an amazing experience.
"Everyone was so beautiful and giving and the information that came forward was fabulous," Jennine said.
"People shared their stories and their different journeys and the themes that came out of it was that we want women to be happy and proud of yourself for breastfeeding."
While breastfeeding rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous women are similar in a hospital setting, Jennine said that a disparity often arises around the six-week mark where rates drop in the Indigenous community.
The film aims to support, protect and promote breastfeeding and features a series of informal questions capturing themes of knowing breastfeeding is good for baby, bonding, pride in self for breastfeeding, and having supporting systems and people in place.
None of the questions were scripted and Jennine said the families featured are proud to be part of the quality project.
The resource will be shared far and wide, with the hopes it will be picked up by GPs. It will also be shared with the Binji and Boori community in both Nowra and Warilla, on Facebook and via YouTube.
