Plunket has a new winter safe sleep campaign – and it’s worth sharing
Heading into the coldest months of the year, Whānau Āwhina Plunket has launched a brand new safe sleep initiative specifically designed for winter. It’s called “Warm. Safe. Close.” and it runs throughout June across social media and digital channels. The campaign is built around practical, non-judgmental guidance that meets whānau where they are – recognising that the instinct to keep pēpi warm and close is a loving one, while offering safe ways to do exactly that. SUDI risk increases during winter, so this one is worth reading and sharing widely.
A New Zealand first for breastfeeding support
The Hawke’s Bay Breastfeeding Service has received what is believed to be New Zealand’s first ever IBCLC Care Award – an international recognition for excellence in lactation support. The award places the service, delivered through Whānau Āwhina Plunket, on a global directory of recognised providers. Only around 40 services worldwide received the honour this year. For anyone who has leaned on a lactation consultant in those early weeks, this one is a reminder of just how valuable that support is – and how much expertise exists in our own backyard.
Read the full story in the NZ Herald
“If you’re neurodivergent, motherhood is going to feel so much harder”
This RNZ piece is one of the most honest portrayals of the neurodivergent motherhood experience we’ve come across. One woman shares how becoming a māmā dismantled every coping mechanism she had quietly built across her lifetime – without yet knowing she was autistic. She has since become an advocate for better maternal mental health support and launched a podcast to talk about the parts of motherhood nobody prepares you for. If any part of this resonates with your experience, we hope it helps to know you are not alone.
Baby blues or postnatal depression – do you know the difference?
It’s one of the most privately Googled questions in the postpartum weeks. A new piece from 1News explores the difference between the baby blues – which typically lift within the first couple of weeks – and postnatal depression, which doesn’t resolve on its own and deserves proper support. Knowing the difference matters, because it shapes when and how to reach out. If you’re not sure which one you’re experiencing, it’s always worth talking to your LMC, GP, or a trusted health professional.
If any of these topics are landing close to home right now, you’ll find postnatal support providers across Aotearoa on Hey Māmā.
This bulletin is a roundup of external news stories. Hey Māmā links to original sources and does not reproduce or represent the views of those publications.