The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) is urging the Federal Government to improve support for new parents as they navigate infant feeding decisions.
While 96% of mothers start breastfeeding at birth, only 15% of babies are fully breastfed by five months, despite public health recommendations to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months.
The ABA is calling for sustained funding and policy changes to better support families as they make the decisions that are right for them.
The ABA’s 24/7 Breastfeeding Helpline and LiveChat assist nearly 60,000 families annually.
These volunteer-led services provide essential guidance, particularly outside regular healthcare hours.
However, current federal funding is insufficient and unreliable.
The ABA is seeking a 4-year, $14 million funding commitment to ensure ongoing service delivery.
Additionally, the ABA supports stronger regulations on infant formula marketing, aligning with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Code.
The Government has pledged to introduce new controls to limit aggressive formula marketing, which the ABA argues undermines informed parental decision-making.
The ABA also calls for a repeat of the national infant feeding survey, last conducted in 2010, to guide health policy.
“As a society we are failing new parents who want to make decisions based upon accurate information and need effective, practical support to give their babies the best possible start to life.
“Addressing these priorities will go a long way to giving new parents the support they deserve,” says ABA Executive Officer Victoria Marshall-Cerins.
The ABA is also advocating for expanded access to midwifery-led maternity care, which has been shown to improve breastfeeding rates and birth experiences.
