Tasmanian Breastfeeding Coalition

News and Events

The Australian Breastfeeding Association welcomes Federal Government funding for a National Breastfeeding Helpline.

Download the ABA Media Release (PDF 108kb)

The Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010-2015 was endorsed by all Australian Health Ministers on 13 Nov 2009. The Strategy recognises the biological, health, social, cultural, environmental and economic importance of breastfeeding and provides a framework for priorities and action for Australian governments at all levels to protect, promote, support and monitor breastfeeding throughout Australia.

A press release and further background information is available at: www.health.gov.au.

Events

August 1st to 7th, 2010
Just 10 Steps - The Baby Friendly Way

The theme of this year's Breastfeeding Awareness Week (1st to 7th August) is called Just 10 Steps and aims to increase attention to the contribution of the Baby Friendly Health Initiative's (BFHI's) Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

It is the 20th anniversary of the Innocenti Declaration that called for implementation of the Ten Steps in all maternity facilities. During these 20 years, more than 20,000 maternities, or about 28% of all maternities in the world, have fully implemented the Ten Steps and have been certified by the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI). Australia has been slow in taking up this initiative with only 66 health services being accredited at the present time. As a result of BFHI, rates of exclusive breastfeeding have increased significantly. However, reduced BFHI programming worldwide, inadequate training, and weakened compliance with the Ten Steps in accredited maternities are contributing to stagnant or declining exclusive breastfeeding rates in many settings. It is time to revisit this approach and to determine where we must go from here.

For more information about World Breastfeeding Week go to: www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.

For more information about the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action go to: www.waba.org.my.

For more information about the Baby Friendly Health Initiative go to: www.bfhi.org.au.

August 14th 2010
LCANZ Tasmania Group Study Day

Campbell Town, 10am - 4pm

More details soon

October 23rd 2010
LCANZ Seminar and AGM

Lactation Consultants of Australia and New Zealand, Darebin Centre, Preston, Victoria

More information available on LCANZ website soon (currently under construction).
For further details contact: Jennifer.James@rmit.edu.au

Download flyer here (PDF).