(Yellowknife, January 10, 2025) - The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) knows lactation and infant feeding supports is an important topic across the Northwest Territories (NWT) and is working to add additional supports across the North that will benefit families and newborns.

With contribution funding received from the Department of Health and Social Services (HSS), the NTHSSA has established a dedicated position under the midwifery unit called a Lactation Consultant who will provide infant feeding supports in the NWT. This role will help families follow traditional infant feeding practices and Health Canada guidelines, which recommend exclusive breastfeeding (also known as chestfeeding) for the first six months, continuing for up to two years or longer, along with other appropriate foods.

Healthcare providers and families from across the territory have asked for additional support and training in lactation and infant feeding. This position will help meet that need by training healthcare staff and offering more culturally relevant information about safe infant feeding.

The Lactation Consultant will:

• Provide healthcare staff with best practice tools they can use to support families with safe, culturally relevant infant feeding.
• Create accessible and easy to understand resources for families and communities to make informed decisions about breastfeeding/chestfeeding.
• Support the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI).
• Provide clinical advice to other healthcare workers on complex infant feeding cases such as those involving cleft palate, or other physical or social challenges.

The NTHSSA hopes that this work will continue to support our health care providers, families and communities across the North with lactation and infant feeding. For more information or to access online resources, visit www.nthssa.ca/infantfeeding.