Yalbilinya miya is a project designed and led by RivMed to better understand the challenges local Aboriginal women face around breastfeeding and hear their thoughts on what types of supports they think would be useful to help Aboriginal women in their journeys of breastfeeding. The project is funded through a two-year grant from the Lowitja Institute and with research support provided from the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health and the Sax Institute.
This two-part project aims firstly to provide knowledge of the perspectives and experiences of breastfeeding among Aboriginal women in the Wagga Wagga area gathered through yarning circles with local Aboriginal mothers and Elders. Secondly this project aims to decolonise breastfeeding support by using this knowledge gathered from local women to develop a culturally responsive support program that provides wraparound care including lactation training of Aboriginal health workers. The first step of the project is now complete, and the development of the program is currently underway and will start in early 2024.
