Pregnancy, Babies and Children's Expo

Hello to all those expectant and new parents who came to say hello at the 2010 Melbourne Pregnancy, Babies and Children's Expo!

Our volunteers have been very busy handing out information bags to visitors, telling them about our association and helping with questions about breastfeeding.

Lots of interest in our Breastfeeding Education Classes, so if you are thinking of booking a place, hurry so you don't miss out!

Morning Tea for World Breastfeeding Week!

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week with morning tea :) Come along and meet mothers and health professionals over a cuppa.

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from August 1–7 with hospitals and health services this year being encouraged to adopt the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

The newly-formed Dandenong Group of the Australian Breastfeeding Association is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week and the theme is Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps — the Baby-Friendly Way. The Dandenong Group will be holding a special morning tea at the Dandenong Breastfeeding Centre 3/71 Robinson St Dandenong on Wednesday August 4th 2010 between 10am and 12pm for World Breastfeeding Week.

The 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding were developed by the World Health Organization and have been proven to help more mothers to breastfeed, says Breastfeeding Centre Manager and Breastfeeding Counsellor Yvette O’Dowd. ‘The 10 Steps involves hospitals ensuring their maternity practices support mothers and babies to breastfeed.

‘In Australia over 80% of new mothers choose to breastfeed their babies so we need to support them in that choice as much as we can’, she said.
The 10 Steps include things such as training staff in breastfeeding care, informing pregnant women about how breastfeeding works, placing babies in skin-to-skin contact with their mothers after birth, showing mothers how to breastfeed and allowing mothers and babies to remain together 24 hours a day.

The 10th step involves referring mothers to breastfeeding support services once they leave hospital.

‘This is where the Australian Breastfeeding Association can link in with hospital services‘, Yvette O’Dowd said. ‘The Association supports mothers by offering a 24-hour Breastfeeding Helpline as well as local groups, breastfeeding classes and breast pump hire’.

Noble Park photo shoot for breastfeeding promotion

Mothers and breastfed babies are needed for posters and brochures promoting breastfeeding in the City of Greater Dandenong.

Our next professional photo session will be held on Tuesday April 20th in Noble Park between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

All volunteers will receive a CD of photos taken, which can be reproduced for family use. The photographer is female, a mother and works regularly with breastfeeding women and the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

The photos will be taken within walking distance of Noble Park station and will include public locations. Women will be photographed individually feeding their baby as well as in groups chatting and playing. All photos will be discrete. We wish to educate the community about breastfeeding in public and the need to support breastfeeding mothers.

If you are interested in taking part, please telephone or email Yvette

Australian Breastfeeding Association
Office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am - 4pm
Suite 3/71 Robinson Street Dandenong VIC 3175
03 9791 4644
abavic@vic.chariot.net.au
www.abavic.asn.au

Expecting Twins or More?

Did you know the Australian Breastfeeding Association runs specific Breastfeeding Education Classes (BECs) tailored to your needs?

Held at the Breastfeeding Centre in Dandenong, these dedicated classes cover all aspects of breastfeeding with two or more babies.

Please consider a class during your second trimester - ie between weeks 13 and 24. This is to allow for the mother's comfort and babies who arrive early. Of course, we are also happy to accommodate those further along than this!

Our final class for 2009 will be held on Saturday November 14th from 1pm to 5pm.

For full details visit our class calendar , where you will also find more information on our general breastfeeding classes.

READY

STEADY

GO!

Come and meet the Chinese Fellows!

This week, special guests of the LRC are visiting Melbourne to learn about the great job we do supporting BF women and to learn more about how we do it.

Wednesday July 8 2009 Lunch at the Breastfeeding Centre – 12.30pm

All welcome to the drop in day to meet the visitors and take part in a discussion about what how ABA helps.

Lunch provided, please RSVP for catering purposes.

REVISED Professional photo shoot for ABA - NOW Friday June 5th during school hours :)

Mothers of babies and toddlers in Melbourne (see below) are invited to a photo shoot with www.susandarcy.com.au to contribute images to the photo library of the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

Where: Susan D’Arcy Photography 81 Poath Rd, Murrumbeena, 3163 p:  9568 1441

Who: mums to pose with their children in individual and group shots in the studio and in surrounding neighbourhood for images depicting the social aspects of ABA membership as well as general mothering and breastfeeding images for our library. Also photos of ABA slings in use for Mothers Direct.

When: Friday June 5th between 9.30 and 3pm, times by arrangement.

You will give full consent for the use of all images by the photographer and ABA and associates and will receive images on CD for personal use.

For more details, please contact Susan susan@susandarcy.com.au or Phone the Studio on 9568 1441

Expressions of interest for a second session based in and around the Breastfeeding Centre in Dandenong are also sought.

————————

Please forward this blog post to all your melbourne Mum friends.

If at all possible we are after mothers of different nationalities, race and colour.

If possible we would love a NEWBORN (preferably under 2 weeks old)

If possible we would love a grandmother to come along.

If possible we would love a dad to come along.

Pregnant and breastfeeding? then come along!

Breastfeeding a toddler? Breastfeeding a toddler and baby? Then we want you!

All offers to model welcome

May News from the Aust Breastfeeding Assoc

Welcome to your newsletter from the Australian Breastfeeding Association!  In this edition: Give your friends and family a gift subscription Last chance to win a $15,000 shopping spree Extended opening hours at Mothers Direct Have you called the new Breastfeeding Helpline? National Mothering Week May 4-10 Give a gift that shows you really care! Flowers are lovely, but soon wilt. Baby clothes are cute but are soon outgrown (or never worn at all). In this time of economic uncertainty, give the new mums in your life a gift that will last. Give them a 12-month gift subscription to the Australian Breastfeeding Association! This includes their free copy of our book 'Breastfeeding ... naturally', our magazine Essence sent direct to their home every two months, links to their local group activities, discounts on breast pump hire and shopping through Mothers Direct - all for only $65. Click here to buy a gift subscription. Last chance to win a $15,000 shopping spree! The ABA's annual raffle ends on Mothers Day, May 10. This is your last chance to win one of the great prizes, including a $15,000 shopping spree, a $10,000 shopping spree and a plasma TV. Tickets are available online (minimum purchase one book of 10 tickets) or through your local ABA group for just $2 per ticket. Click here to buy your book of 10 tickets for $20 online. Click here for your local ABA group contact details. Please note: Under licencing laws WA residents are not permitted to buy tickets in the national raffle. To purchase tickets in the special WA raffle please contact Kirsten Tannenbaum onkirstentann@iinet.net.au or Karen Gonsalves on kazlmg@arach.net.au Mothers Direct open longer The Mothers Direct stores in Brisbane and Sydney are now both open from 9am-5pm each week day. Brisbane is also open 10am-3.30pm Saturdays. Sydney - 4 McMullen Ave, Castle Hill Brisbane - 2A/26 Eva Street, Coorparoo And don't forget - ABA subscribers receive 10% discount at Mothers Direct! Mothers Direct has a great selection of Mothers' Day specials available, both online and in-store. Visit the Mothers Direct website for details! Have you called the new Breastfeeding Helpline? The ABA's Breastfeeding Helpline number is now 1800 mum 2 mum (1800 686 2 686). This number is national and replaces the state-based helplines we had in the past. If you have trouble calling the new number and you are using VoIP/LIP technology (calling over the internet) please drop the last '6' and call 1800 68 62 68. The Breastfeeding Helpline has been very busy since it was launched in March, which is fantastic. While the 1800 number is answered 24-hours, please consider our volunteer breastfeeding counsellors who are answering calls in their own homes and will be asleep overnight. They would really appreciate emergency/urgent calls only between 11pm and 7am! National Mothering Week May 4-10 The Australian Breastfeeding Association celebrates National Mothering Week from May 4-10 each year. This year we celebrate 30 years of National Mothering Week, which started in 1979! This year's theme mum2mum - across the generations celebrates mothers supporting each other across the generations - from mothers, to daughters and granddaughters.  Many ABA groups are holding events and activities in their local area for National Mothering Week. Contact your local group leader for more details. Click here to find your local group.