FEDERAL LABOR has pledged a $15.2 million breastfeeding package to improve the health outcomes of newborn babies and their mothers if elected at the upcoming federal election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Shadow Health Minister Catherine King announced the election promise on Saturday.
The package will include funding certainty for the National Breastfeeding Helpline as well as allowing the Red Cross Milk Bank to roll out across Australia.
Ms King said Labor would invest $8.2 million into the National Breastfeeding Helpline to assist in its ability to continue answering 6500 calls a month as well as to roll out new services.
"I know when I was a young mum some 10 years ago now, I used the helpline and it really helped me," Ms King said. "Hundreds of women across the country are using that helpline every day and are being reassured by counsellors like Meredith about what's normal while breastfeeding."
The helpline is operated by the Australian Breastfeeding Association and employs a network of 700 trained volunteers who provide around the clock advice and support to breastfeeding mothers and their support systems.
Meredith Alexander, who works at the helpline, said she fields calls from not only new mothers, but also fathers and grandparents.
"Breastfeeding is not new - it has gone on forever - however our society has not provided much [information] about breastfeeding in Australia. So it's good to normalise breastfeeding and give information at that critical time," she said.
Additionally, Ms King said a Shorten Labor Government would support the Red Cross Milk Bank to expand across the nation with a $7 million investment to ensure donor milk is supplied to all of Australia's neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
The World Health Organisation and Department of Health recommend the nearly 4000 Australian babies born extremely premature each year be fed donor breast milk to reduce the likelihood of life-threatening complications like the deadly gut disease, necrotising enterocolitis.
The Red Cross estimates the availability of donor breast milk would prevent around 20 newborn deaths each year.
Currently only a quarter of Australia's premature babies have access to donor milk, though the supply is not always guaranteed, even with the planned roll out across New South Wales and South Australia.
Ms King said the funding would build on the existing Red Cross network and processing centre in Sydney while allowing for the establishment of a second processing centre and distribution hub in Brisbane and smaller satellite facilities in Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
