When it comes to breastfeeding, New Zealand babies compare well to other developed countries, with 97% being breastfed from birth. However, the duration they are breastfed for is not in accordance with international guidelines, and only 1 in 6 New Zealand babies are still exclusively breastfed at six months old (Grant, 2017).   

The medical field is one that is ever-changing and growing with every piece of research and discovery. The more knowledge we have about breastfeeding, the more we can assist women in their breastfeeding journeys and understand how everyone’s physiology differs. What works for some women may not work for others, and it’s essential to understand that while there are widely recommended techniques and procedures surrounding breastfeeding, these are continually updated as research is undertaken. There is always more to learn and build on, and equipping women with better knowledge about how their bodies work will assist them in making informed choices and decisions when it comes to breastfeeding. Making this knowledge accessible is also key to broadening acceptance of and advocacy for breastfeeding in New Zealand. 

While we know a lot about breastfeeding already, there is always more to uncover. It is such a unique experience for each woman who goes through it, and through supporting additional research, we can provide more specialised and targeted advice and recommendations to mothers and breastfeeding women about how best to manage their breastfeeding journey. 

The Haakaa Foundation pledges to provide additional funding to ongoing breastfeeding research so that we can gather critical information needed to help make breastfeeding more accessible to every mum and baby. We aim to support breastfeeding research around the world; as such, applications are open to researchers worldwide.