10 Top
Australian Breastfeeding Information Websites
Protection, promotion and support for breastfeeding is a high priority for ensuring a healthy future for NSW families. The NSW Baby Friendly Health Initiative provides a review of the top ten Australian Breastfeeding Information Websites that provide useful resources for healthcare consumers and professionals.
1. http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/
The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) website is a free website for accessing evidence based breastfeeding information. There are sections for health professionals, about advocacy, information on the organisation, breastfeeding products and services, and about ABA training. The ABA website links to the Lactation Resource Centre.
2. http://www.bfhi.org.au/
The Baby Friendly Health Initiative website provides advice on how to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in Australia.
The Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) is an international project that aims to give every baby the best start in life by creating a health care environment where breastfeeding is the norm and practices known to promote the health and well-being of all babies and their mothers are followed.
The site promotes the BFHI Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding are the global standard by which health services are assessed and accredited. A 'Baby Friendly' health service is one where mothers' informed choice of feeding is supported, respected and encouraged.
This site is an excellent resource for health professionals working towards achieving BFHI accreditation and for BFHI assessors and educators.
The recent name change from Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative to Baby Friendly Health Initiative enables a more accurate description of the work the Initiative now does. In Australia, the Australian College of Midwives administers the Baby Friendly Health Initiative.
3. http://www.alca.asn.au/
The Australian Lactation Consultants Association (ALCA) is the only national, non-profit, incorporated professional association for Australian International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs/LCs). ALCA's main goal is: the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding as the optimal choice for both infant and maternal health.
The website has information for the community and for health professionals.
Information about Australia wide breastfeeding professional development seminars is available.
Topical information such as pasteurising human milk for human babies at milk banks is also provided.
4. http:// www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-foodpolicy-apmaif.htm
The Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing page provides news from the Advisory Panel on the Marketing in Australia of Infant Formula (APMAIF).
The AMAIF agreement contributes to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants, by the protection and promotion of breastfeeding and by ensuring the proper use of breastmilk substitutes, when they are necessary, on the basis of adequate information and through appropriate marketing and distribution.
The APMAIF site contains information for consumers, health professionals, educators and baby food advisors and manufacturers.
5. http://www.biochem.biomedchem.uwa.edu.au/Our_People/home_pages/academic_staff/hartmann/peter_hartmann/download
This page enables the viewer to download diagram produced by the The University of Western Australia's research into the anatomy of the human breast. The renewed structure of the breast was the result of ultrasound research to re-investigate the anatomy of the 21 lactating breast.
Ramsay and Hartmanns' research identified that ducts were easily compressed and did not display typical sinuses. All ducts branched within the areolar radius, the first branch occurring 8.0 ′ 5.5 mm from the nipple. Duct diameter was 1.9 ′ 0.6 mm, 2.0 ′ 90.7 mm and the number of main ducts was 9.6 ′ 2.9, 9.2 ′ 2.9, for left and right breast, respectively. The low number and size of the ducts, the rapid branching under the areola and the absence of sinuses suggest that ducts transport breastmilk, rather than store it.
This information is excellent for consumers, health professionals, educators and students to gain contemporary information on how the human breast is structured.
6. http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/pd/2006/pdf/PD2006_012.pdf
NSW Health's Policy Directive Breastfeeding in NSW: Promotion, Protection and Support provides direction of the Department and Area Health Services on how to progress NSW Health's commitment to promote, protect and support breastfeeding in the community and amongst staff.
The NSW Health website also provides links to other publications, reports and resources that support breastfeeding.
7. http://www.cphn.biochem.usyd.edu.au/about_us.html
The University of Sydney's NSW Centre for Public Health Nutrition provides information on optimum nutrition. This website enables viewers to freely download significant reports such as:
• NSW Public Health Bulletin March-April: 16(3-4_: 37-75 "Breastfeeding and Public's Health"
• Promoting and supporting breastfeeding in NSW: case studies
• Overview of interventions to support breastfeeding
• Report on Breastfeeding in NSW 2004 (revised)
• Penrith Food Project - A Model Workplace to Support Breastfeeding
8. http://www.health.qld.gov.au/cchs/nutrition_bfeeding.asp
This website from the Queensland Government Community Child Health Services provides parents and health professionals with numerous multilingual fact sheets related to establishing breastfeeding and overcoming difficulties that may occur when breastfeeding.
9. http://www.babyfriendly.sa.gov.au/
The Children, Youth and Women's Health service in partnership with key stakeholders have developed an 8 hour breastfeeding e-learning education program that provides education for hospital, community and health professional staff that links with the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI). This program costs $45 per person, however large groups can access a discounted cost.
10. http://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/
The NSW Government's Healthy Kids website gives information on the big picture i.e. getting active and healthy eating for children.
Healthy eating identifies that breastfeeding is the normal way to feed an infant and is as close as a mother and baby can be. It is the best nutritional start in life and protects babies against infection. It will also produce a healthy, alert baby who has a naturally good weight.
For health professionals, a comprehensive list of links to resources on breastfeeding, includes general information, journals, strategies and guidelines, policies of professional organisations, and breastfeeding associations and alliances.
Created by Amanda Gear, Area Clinical Midwifery Consultant
Greater Southern Area Health Service and the NSW BFHI Committee
February 2007