Staff of the Maternity Ward at Mount Isa Hospital have donated $1,100 worth of goods for parent education and support including the first breastfeeding pillow and breast pump at the hospital.

During World Breastfeeding Week in August this year, the Mount Isa Hospital Maternity Ward facilitated a raffle.

North West HHS Midwife, Tahnee Flood said the purpose of the raffle was to raise enough funds to purchase breastfeeding items to support new mothers as they navigate the challenging task of breastfeeding.

“While these tools are very useful, they can also be very expensive. By having these tools available at the hospital, and with the guidance of midwives, it may help protect and support a new mum’s breastfeeding experience,” she said.

With the money raised, an array of resources and tools were purchased and donated to the Maternity Ward and Special Care Nursery to support new parents, including the hospital’s first breastfeeding pillow and breast pump.

Tahnee said the items were a wonderful addition and would enhance the support nurses and midwives could provide to parents as they navigate the journey into parenthood.

“Learning to breastfeed for any mum is a trying time and can be an extremely stressful period. The support that a simple breastfeeding pillow can provide in positioning for the new mum and baby can make the experience more comfortable and successful,” she said.

“An effective breast pump is a useful tool to help navigate some of the common obstacles new breastfeeding mothers may encounter. It’s the first time we’ve had access to these two tools at the hospital and they will make a significant difference in supporting our patients.”

In addition to the breastfeeding pillow and breast pump, a number of other items were donated including two washable pillow covers, a breastfeeding stool and a number of educational books and videos.