This year the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) has adopted the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) theme, ‘Breastfeeding — It’s Time to Talk’. The theme acknowledges the importance of communication to enhance perceptions and knowledge about breastfeeding throughout the broader community. It aims to bring the dialogue to life between caregivers of the past, present and future to enable the ongoing promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding.

ABA spokesperson Karen Ingram says, ‘World Breastfeeding Week is important because it highlights breastfeeding in a local and global context. This year’s theme, Breastfeeding — It’s Time to Talk, will draw attention to communication that can make a difference — between generations, neighbours, workplaces, health professionals, schools and politicians — in fact, everyone in our community. We encourage all methods of communication from the tried and true face-to-face conversation to the range of methods we have at our fingertips’.

Members of ABA will be showing support for mothers and babies of Timor-Leste in the campaign for MILK: Mothers Unite for East Timor, to raise awareness for the Alola Foundation’s vital development work in improving the child and maternal health in a country that is one of Australia’s closest neighbours. A synchronised breastfeed with women in Dili, East Timor and mothers in Melbourne will be taking place on Friday, 5 August 2011 at Fitzroy Town Hall, Melbourne.

 WBW is celebrated around the world in the first week of August each year and provides an opportunity to reflect on the value of the breastfeeding relationship to the baby, the family and the community. For more information on other ABA initiatives during WBW to enable open lines of communication between caregivers of the past, present and future contact an ABA spokesperson.

Links

www.breastfeeding.asn.au

www.breastfeedingfriendly.com.au

www.worldbreastfeeding.org

http://www.alola.org.au/milk-united-breastfeed/