Breastfeeding Awareness Week: Building Support That Lasts
Let’s get one thing straight.
There’s no one way to feed a baby.
Some breastfeed. Some bottle-feed. Some pump, mix-feed, supplement, or switch between all of the above depending on the day (or the hour).
At Viva La Vulva, we believe in one thing above all else:
How you feed your baby is your business - and no one else’s.
No guilt. No pressure. No gold stars.
But if you are trying to breastfeed, or want to, then you deserve to know where to get help. Because breastfeeding can be hard. Really hard. And not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because it takes time, energy, recovery, rest, and reassurance.
What is Breastfeeding Awareness Week?
Breastfeeding Awareness Week (1–7 August) is about real talk - about what breastfeeding actually takes, and what kind of support māmā need to keep going (if they choose to).
The 2025 theme is:
“Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems”
Because support shouldn't stop at six weeks. And you shouldn't have to figure it all out alone.
The stats in Aotearoa might surprise you
Around 80% of babies in NZ are breastfed at birth.
But by 6 months? Only 17–22% are still exclusively breastfed.
That doesn’t mean māmā aren’t trying.
It means they’re often doing it without the village it really takes.
Here’s the thing... there is free help out there, but not everyone knows about it.
If you’re feeling sore, unsure, or like you’re just winging it, you’re not the only one. And you’re not out of options.
Here are just a few places offering free breastfeeding support in Aotearoa:
Find your breastfeeding support
PlunketLine – 0800 933 922 (24/7 phone & video support)
Drop-in breastfeeding clinics at Plunket and Family Centres
Tamariki Ora / Ora Toa – Māori & Pacific mama + pēpi care
Te Rito Ora – South Auckland-based whānau support
DHB & Health NZ services – free lactation consults in most regions
La Leche League NZ – community-led, zero-judgment peer support
You don’t need a referral. You don’t need to pay.
You just need to know they exist.
(And now you do.)
But support isn’t just appointments and hotlines.
Sustainable breastfeeding support is about more than a one-off consult.
It’s the village that wraps around you; at home, at work, and out in the world.
It looks like:
- A partner who knows how to help, and is educated around breastfeeding
- Meals that show up while you're stuck under a feeding baby
- Rest, time, and no pressure of "bouncing back"
- Breastfeeding is welcome anywhere in public, no awkward glances
- Seeing feeding represented beyond the newborn bubble - and also normalised beyond a year
- Workplaces and whānau that treat feeding as a right, not a “nice to have”
It’s about making it feel normal. Safe. Supported.
And here’s what we want to normalise this week:
That breastfeeding is a full-time job
That you deserve ongoing support, not just in the early days
That how you feed your baby is YOUR decision..and no one else’s
So what can we actually do this Breastfeeding Awareness Week?
Let’s go beyond awareness.
Check in on the māmā in your life, not with advice, just with presence
Share the services, even just texting a friend, PlunketLine’s number
Ask your workplace how they’re supporting expressing parents
Talk honestly about what it really takes to feed a baby, and why support matters
And if you’re feeding right now? We see you.
You’re doing the work of a village ! With love, patience, and probably one hand.
Need a little love for your boobs?
Breastfeeding is incredible… but also, ouch.
We created a couple of things to help take the edge off:
Boob Balm – All natural nipple balm to soothe cracks, calm inflammation, and support healing
Breasties – hot/cold therapy packs to help with engorgement, letdown, blocked ducts, or just general boob rage
Mama-made. Midwife-loved. Boob-approved.
Meet our Viva Experts
We’re proud to work alongside two incredible lactation professionals, and midwives who also happen to be powerhouse mamas.
Kate Bird – Lactation Consultant, NICU Nurse & Mama of 3 Girls
Founder of Little Bird Lactation, Kate supports new parents through the most vulnerable stages of feeding — from NICU to cluster feeds and everything in between.
Read Kate’s blog: What the cluster f*ck is cluster feeding? →
Ranata Lardelli – Founder Lila Jasmine: Midwife, Nurse & Mum
Read Renata's blogs:
- 10 Breastfeeding Tips Every New Mum Should Know: Real Talk from a Midwife + Mum
- How to Prepare for Breastfeeding: Support Makes It Sustainable
Julia Daly – Lactation Consultant & Mama of 3
Julia brings calm, practical wisdom and a grounded, evidence-based approach to infant feeding.
Read Julia’s blog on navigating the early days of breastfeeding →
Breastfeeding is beautiful, and it is also hard work.
Support should be non-negotiable.
This Breastfeeding Awareness Week, let’s raise more than awareness.
Let’s raise the standard. For every mama. For every feed.
Save this, share it and tell someone about the support that actually exists.
And if no one’s said it today, you’re doing great mama!!!
