Hi everyone,

You may have noticed things look a little bit different. We’re excited to launch our new look Professional Newsletter, Professional Express, in time for the last edition of 2021.

It’s been a big year for ABA and looking back we’ve achieved some great things. ABA has made significant contributions to research in 2021 including papers on Breastfeeding Helpline enquiries during COVID, our response to the COVID-19 and bushfire emergencies in 2019 and 2020, and using citizen science to monitor workplace breastfeeding support.

The biannual Mary Paton Research Award was run this year and won by ANU researchers Dr Debbie Noble-Carr, Dr Katherine Carroll, Simon Copland and Catherine Waldby for their contributions on the role of fathers in supporting milk donation after infant loss.

In September, ABA’s Susan Tawia, presented on Breastfeeding as a powerful tool to promote health equity at the Public Health Association Australia National Conference in September. Our own Health Professional Seminar series was held online this year with an impressive turn out, demonstrating what is possible under difficult circumstances.

In 2022, we’re going to be back and better than ever. The 2022 Health Professional Seminars will once again be held in person in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. Click for more info here. We look forward to continuing to contribute to the bank of global knowledge on breastfeeding through leading research, as well as embarking on the ambitious WHO Code Project to advocate for more comprehensive regulations around the marketing of breastmilk substitutes.

While our volunteers have been taking a well-deserved break over December, this month’s Professional Express includes some of our research summaries greatest hits from 2021. If you missed them the first time around be sure to take a look this month. A back catalogue of research summaries can also be found here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Naomi Hull

Senior Manager Breastfeeding Information and Research