Australian Breastfeeding Association

Announcements
This is where any special announcements concerning this Forum or ABA in general will be placed.

Forum Guidelines - PLEASE READ Before Posting
Guidelines for using the Australian Breastfeeding Association

Breastfeeding Research Requests
If you would like to ask ABA members and readers of this forum for help with your research, please seek permission from the Breastfeeding Information and Research team - bir@breastfeeding.asn.au Approved requests will then be forwarded on by the BIR team to ABA-Admin for posting here.

Forum Contacts
Contact Details

General Issues
For general issues related to breastfeeding

Early Days
For discussion of issues that arise in the early days of breastfeeding

Introducing Solids & Weaning
How, when and why to introduce foods other than breastmilk

Breastfeeding babies with food allergies/intolerances/sensitivities
An area for parents coping with the issues and complications associated with
breastfeeding an allergic baby or a baby with a food intolerance or sensitivity.

Breastfeeding the older baby/child
For discussion of issues related to breastfeeding an older baby/child

Coping with Breast Refusal
A baby's refusal to feed is a distressing time. Sometimes the refusal is outright; other times just an extreme fussiness. Usually it is temporary and the baby returns to the breast. Share your experiences and support one another through this tough time here.

When breastfeeding does not work out
Breastfeeding does not always work out, this is a place to discuss your situation and feelings

Special Breastfeeding Situations
Breastfeeding multiples, twins, tandem feeding. Or when mum or baby has special circumstances due to illness etc. Share it all here.

Expressing and storing breastmilk
Share you hints and tips for expressing and storing breastmilk. Whether expressing just occasionally or exclusively, share and support one another here.

Leaving your baby with a carer.
Returning to the paid workforce, study or just going out for the night. Discuss issues related to leaving your baby with a carer here

Relactation and Adoptive Breastfeeding
An area to discuss relactation and adoptive breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Moments
Share your positive, funny or just plain lovely breastfeeding moments and experiences here.

Infant Feeding in an Emergency
Emergencies happen, in urban and rural Australia. Breastfeeding during an emergency situation is important to keep babies safely hydrated and fed. Share your stories and information in this section.

Partners in Breastfeeding
A place for anyone who is supporting a breastfeeding mother - partners, siblings, friends, in laws, parents, etc.

Donor Milk
For information and resources about donor breast milk.

General ABA Issues
For discussion about the association in general

ABA and you
What have you been doing in your local ABA group lately? What have you been doing in the wider ABA community? Share all of your stories here.

ABA and/or breastfeeding in the media
Let us know when you see/hear of breastfeeding, or ABA, mentioned in the media

Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding
A place to find out what you can do to help make breastfeeding easier by
making the world a little more 'breastfeeding friendly'

Messages to Board Admin/Moderators
Post any questions or concerns you may have regarding this forum here. Or you can PM the moderators or Admin directly

Parenting in general
Discuss general parenting issues here.

Solo Parenting
For many reasons, some mothers find themselves being the sole parent of
their child or children. This category is for those who may be full time
solo parents or for those whose partners work away from home for extended
periods of time, and for every solo parenting situation in between!


Please be aware of our Forum Guidelines and be conscious of your personal
safety when posting.

Pregnancy
Ever feel that you would like to be able to ask some questions and have a
chat without feeling that you have to defend your choice to do things the
way you feel comfortable? Discuss your desires, aims and ask your questions
of other Mums here. If you need medical advice, please ask your medical
adviser, we aren't qualified to help you in that department and our Code of
Ethics for ABA means we do not discuss Health Professionals or Hospitals by
name. (Everyone's experiences are different and what may not agree with one
person, may be totally agreeable to another.)

Trying to conceive?
Trying to conceive? This is the place to talk to others in your situation.

Post and Ante-natal depression
Stressed….depressed or just feeling emotionally isolated and in need of a chat? Sometimes the labels don’t fit but the emotional baggage we carry is the same…….if your life isn’t all beautiful like the nappy ads would have us believe, feel free to have a chat here. It’s important to have somewhere safe where you can be yourself and talk about the things that REALLY matter.

Grief
A place for support when the unthinkable happens and we lose a loved one.

Emotional Health
Sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse can unfortunately enter our lives at any time. Many people suffered as a child, for others the abuse only enters their lives as adults. Sometimes it is our loved ones suffering. Often pregnancy or the birth of a child can trigger these events. Substance abuse often plays a part. Your situation may be such that you need to talk to your health professional, or the police, but just telling someone who will listen can be helpful. We are not trained experts in this area of life, but we offer this forum as a supportive environment for you if and whenever you need it. No matter whether the abuse is new to your life, if it happened years ago, or has been ongoing - we are here to listen. *Please remember this is a public forum when posting details about yourself and your situation.

Introductions
New to the forum? Find out who else is here and possibly introduce yourself too. BUT, Please ensure you read our "Forum and Personal Safety" guidelines first!!! In the Guidelines section at the top. Introducing yourself is NOT mandatory to enjoy the forum

Domestic Bliss
For all your recipes, household hints and any other home related issues.

Everything else!
If it is not related to breastfeeding or parenting, discuss it here!

Advocacy - OLD
Private Breastfeeding Advocacy discussion area.
The Advocacy topic is for forum members to discuss issues relating to
Breastfeeding Advocacy, such as purpose, strategy, techniques, etc.
Constructive debate is encouraged, but arguments about the relative merits
of Breastmilk and ABM or breastfeeding and bottlefeeding will not be
tolerated. The Australian Breastfeeding Association strives to educate the
community about the importance of human milk and support all mothers in
their feeding choices.

Advocacy
Private Breastfeeding Advocacy discussion area. The Advocacy topic is for Counsellors, Trainees, CE's and members of the Advocacy WG to discuss issues relating to Breastfeeding Advocacy, such as purpose, strategy, techniques, etc. Constructive debate is encouraged, but arguments about the relative merits of Breastmilk and ABM or breastfeeding and bottlefeeding will not be tolerated. The Australian Breastfeeding Association strives to educate the community about the importance of human milk and support all mothers in their feeding choices.
Moderator: monkeyboyzmum

Temp parking
For the temp placement of 'heated' threads and threads that generally breach forum guidelines.

Spam parking
A place to stockpile spam - for our records...

General Parking
For threads that we have been asked to delete by the originater for various reasons. Not removed due to any breach of guidelines as such.

Electronic CoE discussion
Area for moderators and administrative team to discuss a possible electronic ethics guidelines. This discussion is discussion only and does not indicate Board endorsement of any further guidelines
Moderator: monkeyboyzmum