UM researchers drive return of lactation consultant funding in Manitoba

When Manitoba cut public funding for lactation consultants in 2018, health experts at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences feared the impact would be immediate and far-reaching.

“We knew it was a very bad idea and would reduce breastfeeding rates in the province,” said Dr. Meghan Azad, Canada Research Chair in early nutrition and the developmental origins of health and disease and professor of pediatrics and child health in the Max Rady College of Medicine.  

“We wrote letters and voiced our concerns, but it didn’t change their decision.” 

Research led by Dr. Garry Shen, professor of endocrinology and metabolism in internal medicine in the Max Rady College of Medicine and expert in diabetic cardiovascular complications and diabetes in pregnancy, has shown just how significant.

In 2022, Shen studied the effects of the program’s cancellation. His team compared infant-feeding data from the Women’s Hospital at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) – where lactation consultant services were cut – to St. Boniface Hospital, which maintained its program through alternative funding. Shen’s research findings informed the decision to reinstate the lactation consultant program in 2024 – but with a two-year probation.

In October 2025, four months before the probation period ends, Shen and Azad helped lead an advocacy campaign that resulted in more than 150 Manitobans reaching out to Manitoba’s health minister. Just a few days later, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced permanent funding for the program. 

What the data revealed

Shen’s team found that stopping the lactation consultant program reduced breastfeeding rates and increased formula use.

“There was a big change in the whole province because HSC accounts for 40 per cent of babies born in Manitoba,” Shen said. “These changes were two to three times greater for First Nation infants and babies living in remote communities. This was especially true for births at HSC, where the program stopped. At St. Boniface Hospital where the program continued, infant feeding patterns stayed stable.” 

Why lactation consultants matter 

Azad, also a researcher with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM), studies the composition of breastmilk and its long-term effects on child health. 

“I examine the developmental origins of health and disease – the idea that what happens early in life has a very long-term impact,” she said. “That includes pregnancy, but also those crucial first days, weeks and months after birth – and lactation consultants are a big part of that.” 

Azad said breastfeeding helps prevent infections and sudden infant death syndrome and continues to benefit children for years. It reduces their risk of asthma, obesity and diabetes. Mothers who breastfeed have lower risks of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast and ovarian cancer. 

While nurses provide essential support to new parents, Azad said some families face complex challenges that require specialized expertise from lactation consultants. 

A healthier start for First Nation communities

For endocrinologist Shen, also a CHRIM researcher, breastfeeding support is tied to two of Manitoba’s most pressing health challenges: high rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.  

“Supporting maternal and child health is key,” Shen said.

He notes that Manitoba has the highest rates of youth-onset Type 2 diabetes in Canada, particularly in remote First Nation communities: “The underlying factors are complex and involve both environmental and genetic factors.”

Shen’s group partners with six First Nation communities, including Sagkeeng, Sandy Bay and four Island Lake First Nations, to co-develop maternal and child health and wellness supports. 

His research team has found that First Nation women are about three times more likely to develop gestational diabetes – diabetes during pregnancy – than non-First Nation women, with higher rates in rural or remote areas. Shen said gestational diabetes increases risks for complications such as macrosomia (a larger‑than‑average baby), shoulder dystocia and caesarean delivery, which can pose serious dangers for mothers and infants. 

Using provincial data, Shen’s team found that initiating breastfeeding during the hospital stay was associated with lower rates of later diabetes in mothers and youth-onset Type 2 diabetes in their children. Shen said establishing breastfeeding with the support of lactation consultants in the hospital makes parents much more likely to continue at home.

Azad said breastmilk contains hormones that help regulate appetite and satiety. 

“The act of breastfeeding also helps babies learn to self-regulate, which does not always happen with bottle feeding,” she said. “It also shapes the gut microbiome that plays a key role in extracting energy from foods and regulating weight gain.” 

Shen added: "If we prevent or control gestational diabetes through healthy lifestyles, supporting breastfeeding and providing the right care early, we can improve outcomes for parents and children.” 

Looking ahead

UM experts continue to advocate for equitable breastfeeding support in Manitoba including in the ICU and working with clinical and community partners to develop a breastfeeding support app.

In 2025, Azad teamed up with the Youville Community Health Centre to launch Manitoba’s first free breast pump loan program – which is at capacity and looking to expand. Azad’s Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre is also recruiting volunteers to build Canada’s first biorepository dedicated to human milk science.

“Breastmilk isn’t just food you can replace or replicate with formula,” Azad said. “It’s personalized and dynamic, with live immune cells and antibodies. The answer isn’t to make an alternative – it's to support moms who want to breastfeed.”