b"DearmembersT his year is the 55th anniversary of our Association. We started in 1964 as the Nursing Mothers Association when Mary Paton gathered together a group of six mothers, to provide information and support for mothers who wanted to breastfeed. In 1969, thisYou may have heard of our Breastfeeding Friendly Melbourne-based organisation expanded nationally soWorkplace (BFW) accreditation. For a fee, we provide this year several different branches are celebrating theirinformation and help to businesses that want to 50th anniversaries.support mothers returning to work so they can continue ACT/NSW Branch was lucky enough to have Founderto breastfeed. The Federal governments document Mary Paton at its annual conference for breastfeedingAustralian National Breastfeeding Strategy, launched counsellors and community educators in October. Mary isin August 2019, recommends that all government such an inspiration. She says that our unique mother-to- departments become BFW-accredited. If you have an mother support will still be needed 50 years from now asinterest in this area, and are willing to volunteer some we are like an extended family to the mothers and familiestime, you could let your group leader know, or contact our who reach out to us.National Office. We celebrate 55 years of wonderful volunteers whoThe Board is working on three strategic priorities to work tirelessly and passionately at many different levelsfinalise ABAs strategic plan starting next year: of ABA, from the local group right through the branchesMother-to-mother support and the national level. We hold group meetings for ourHealth professional education members, either face-to-face or online. We educateAdvocacy. families and communities through schools, baby andI hope you are embracing the warmer weather and parent expos, breastfeeding education classes and manythe run up to our Christmas holiday break. Now is a great other community education talks. We educate healthtime to make contact with your local group and enjoy the professionals through avenues such as ABA professionalsupport it can give you in your breastfeeding journey and membership, health professional seminars and ourbeyonddiploma course. The staff at our National Office in Melbourne and variousMargaret Grove // ABA PRESIDENTbranch offices do their part in supporting ABA through training and education, National Breastfeeding Helpline administration, breastfeeding information and research, IT, marketing, finance and all the other areas that are needed to keep ABA providing its programs and services. WHEN IN ROME especially on thoseDearThe photograph is of mylooooong flights. Orla essence1-year-old daughter Orla enjoying a breastfeed atgot a gastro bug at the the Colosseum in Rome. Itbeginning of our trip and was a very hot day, evidentbreastfeeding was a by her pink cheeks! We tookblessing. It helped settle her Orla to Europe for 5 weeks intummy and it eased my August/September and she mind knowing that she wasGAMING THE SYSTEMhappily breastfed acrossstill getting enough to eat/the UK, Italy, France anddrink despite going off herMy children were Spain. It was so convenientsolids for a week or two. visiting with their and helped comfort her,grandparents recently When we got back toand found this board Sydney Orla started to cutgame about Australian her feeds and now doesn'tpolitics in the cupboard. breastfeed at all during the Who knew that we held day (she saves it all forso much political power during the night!). Travellingback in the day!Europe was definitely a special way to spend theNicole Jameson, last few weeks of Orla's 'fullIllawarra Grouptime' breastfeeding journey.Roxanne,via emailDecember 2019 A ustralian Breastfeeding Association | Essence |7"