Halton Breastfeeding Connection needs Volunteers

My breastfeeding introduction with my second child was a huge shock. After an easy nursing relationship with #1, I was stunned to find not all babies approached feeding the same way. I had given birth to a 10 pound suction machine whom attacked me with every feeding. I was a puddle of tears with each feeding, trying to bare it, until I finally got myself to a lactation consultant to help the “veteran” learn how to breastfeed.


During those murky weeks is when we as new moms try to learn (or re-learn!) how to breastfeed. We fumble with nursing bras and breast pads. We roll our eyes at spraying breasts or cry over low milk supply. We may curl our toes with a rough latch or sigh in relief when an engorged breast is finally no longer.


There are so many possibilities of how a nursing relationship can end up between any mother and baby pair. Most probable? There will be questions. Will you have someone to ask those questions to when you need to? Not everyone will seek out a Lactation consultant or a forum like momstown to post a question. Not every mom has a support network of nursing mom friends to brainstorm solutions.


How can momstown help more Halton moms make their breastfeeding experience positive? How do we help moms nurse longer than 6 months, which is the average time moms in Halton wean? Support, conversation, education, and more support, support, support.

The Halton Breastfeeding Connection is a wonderful peer to peer telephone support program for nursing moms to reach out to other nursing moms. I was a volunteer in 2006 & 2007 and it was gratifying to talk to other moms and help navigate their feeding relationship with their child.

The Breastfeeding Connection needs more volunteers. All that is required is a couple of short phone calls a week. In the past our community minded momstown moms have been a volunteer force for the region and we’d like to encourage reaching out and helping again. This is what momstown is all about – moms connecting other moms in the neighbourhood.


Volunteers do not need to be active nursing mothers, but with nursing experience of at least 6 months. The Halton Health provides training. All details are here and you can email if you’d like to help make Halton a more breastfeeding friendly region.


Call 905-825-6000 x311 or email Michaelle at michelle.griffin@halton.ca to Volunteer.


As an additional resource - local Oakville breastfeeding help/advice is available:

1. Baby & Parent Telephone Info Line 905-825-6000 x311 to speak to a Public Health Nurse for Breastfeeding Support
2. La Leche League - Oakville has an online support group
3. Breastfeeding Drop In by La Leche League, Mondays 10-12 at St Aidan's Anglican Church, 318 Queen Mary Dr, Oakville 416-483-3368
4. Baby Wearing & Breastfeeding Drop in: 2nd Monday of the month 930-1130am at Dynamic Health & Performance 12-1660 North Service rd, Oakville with Doula Ashely Pickett ashley@haltondoulagroup.com
5. Breastfeeding Cafe with Lactation Consultant Jean Kouba with HaltonBreastfeeding.com the 2nd and 4th Fridays at Oakville Parent & Child Centre 461 North Service rd, Oakville. 10am-noon 416-407-8552
6. momstown Oakville :) We're full of peer to peer support and many moms with breastfeeding experience (although we're not trained beyond our own experiences!)