Wednesday 7 August 2013

AOD & breastfeeding

Today is the last day of World Breastfeeding Week, with this year's theme being "support".  With this in mind, here are some resources to support clients who are breastfeeding with information or increase community awareness around AOD use and breastfeeding.

The Drug Arm Prevention Team developed a nice and concise poster a couple of months ago outlining the National Drinking Guidelines around drinking and pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and breastfeeding.  Most offices should have one, but you can print out more from this link or direct others there to print out their own copy. http://drugarm.com.au/content/standard.asp?name=Alcohol_Guidelines

Australian Breastfeeding Association pamphlet “Alcohol and Breastfeeding: a guide for mothers” has a good overview of the affect of alcohol on breastmilk.  Please be aware that the ABA's agenda is to promote breastfeeding (as it should be), this might not reflect the individual needs of a client.  http://www.lrc.asn.au/ABA_Alchohol_BF.pdf

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing: “If you are breastfeeding the safest option is not to drink alcohol”.  Quick two page overview covering similar points to the ABA pamphlet 

Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) can be used to find information a drug's effect on breastfeeding by drug type, this includes prescription medication.  However, this is quite medically based and therefore may use more technical language.
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT

New South Wales Department of Health (2006) National clinical guidelines for the management of drug use during pregnancy, birth and the early development years of the newborn – Breastfeeding (p19-22) - a guide to inform workers
http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2006/pdf/ncg_druguse.pdf

Anyone seeking information on how to breastfeed and issues they may experience with breastfeeding should be directed to the Australian Breastfeeding Association's Breastfeeding hotline: 1800 mum 2 mum (1800 686 268), a lactation consultant, or a child health nurse.  Government funded breastfeeding clinics may operate in your area too.

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