Local Breastfeeding Support
Breastfeeding is free, saves you time and has many health benefits. Breast milk is easy to digest and provides a complete meal for your baby as it contains all the necessary nutrients to help your baby grow.
Why Breastfeed?
Breastfeeding has health benefits for you as well as protecting your baby against infections and other illnesses.
Breastfed babies have less risk of developing:
- allergies
- asthma
- diarrhoea
- ear and respiratory tract infections (the common cold)
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome SIDS
- some childhood cancers
- diabetes
Breastfeeding helps reduce a woman's risk of:
- pre-menopausal breast cancer
- ovarian cancer
- osteoporosis
It is recommended that you exclusively breastfeed your baby, with no other milks, food or drinks, until about six months. At about six months it is further recommended that you begin to offer solid foods while continuing to breastfeed until 12 months or longer.
Breastfeeding can continue to provide health benefits in your baby’s second year of life and beyond. The longer you breastfeed the greater the benefit.
Local Breastfeeding Support Services
Lactation Consultants and Breastfeeding Clinics
Many of our maternity units and child and family health services have lactation consultants and conduct breastfeeding clinics for mothers who are experiencing breastfeeding difficulties. There are also private lactation consultants who can be found through LCANZ.
Tresillian
Tresillian is an early parenting service offering families guidance in the early years of their child's life. They provide support for new parents around breastfeeding and settling baby, as well as dealing with post-natal depression and nutrition. You can phone the service on 1300 272 736, or self-refer to Tresillian in Southern and access online support on their website.
Australian Breastfeeding Association
Breastfeeding support and information is available from trained Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) volunteers via the Breastfeeding Helpline 1800 686 268. Breastfeeding Education Classes are offered for families to learn about and prepare for breastfeeding before baby arrives. Mums can get together at local groups for friendship, sharing of parenting experiences and face to face breastfeeding support. Details of local meetings can be found on the Australian Breastfeeding Association website or on the Australian Breastfeeding Association ACT/Southern NSW Region Facebook page.
MotherSafe
MotherSafe is a free NSW Health telephone service for the women of NSW, based at the Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick. Some medications may have an effect on milk supply, or are harmful to breastfeeding infants. The service provides phone counselling for women on the use of medications in pregnancy and breastfeeding. They can be contacted Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 1800 647 848.
Karitane Careline
The Karitane Careline is staffed by NSW Health Child and Family Health Nurses, who can provide you with guidance and encouragement on your parenting journey. The Karitane Careline can support you with sleep and settling, infant feeding, playing and connecting with your baby and your feelings and adjustment to parenting. You can contact the service on 1300 227 464 or by email.
For Further Information
You can download our booklet about breastfeeding your baby for information about common challenges or for specific advice, please contact the Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 or SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au