Breastfeeding friendly venues identified in the Riverland
Several council-owned facilities across the Riverland have been formally recognised as ‘Breastfeeding Is Welcome Everywhere’ venues, allowing local mothers to care for their children in a safe, welcoming and non-discriminatory environment.
Libraries, visitor information centres and recreation centres across Berri Barmera Council, District Council of Loxton Waikerie and Renmark Paringa Council are now formally recognised through the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) as welcoming spaces for mothers to publicly breastfeed their children.
This initiative was coordinated through the Riverland Preventive Health Partnership – a collaborative partnership between the three councils, the Murraylands and Riverland Local Government Association, and Preventive Health SA.
Evidence shows that breastfeeding contributes to health and wellbeing outcomes for both children and mothers, and is a protective factor for preventing a number of chronic diseases later in life.
One of the barriers to breastfeeding is the availability of breastfeeding-friendly venues in public spaces. The purpose of the formal recognition is to promote family-friendly, welcoming environments in community facilities where breastfeeding is normalised and celebrated. This will help women and families to feel more confident and comfortable breastfeeding in public.
Paringa mother Kate Slee, who publicly breastfed all three of her children, knows firsthand the positive and profound impact a welcoming and supportive environment can have on mums. She believed it was an initiative any council or business should be encouraged to get on board with if they have the ability.
To become a Breastfeeding Is Welcome Everywhere venue, a business needs to be publicly accessible, and have employees and management with welcoming attitudes.
All recognised facilities now display an identifiable sticker and are featured on the Australian Breastfeeding Association’s interactive map. Any venues or businesses who would like to get onboard are encouraged to visit the ABA website and register their venue.
Quotes attributable to Riverland Regional Preventive Health Officer, Danielle Crisci
Every family deserves to feel welcome, supported and included when they're out in the community.
As identified by local organisations and community groups, one of the four priority groups we’re focused on through the Riverland Preventive Health Partnership is children and families.
Formally supporting breastfeeding within our council facilities helps foster a culture where breastfeeding is recognised as a normal part of everyday life, allowing families to feel confident, connected and supported wherever they go. It is also an example of how Preventive Health can help councils to achieve positive outcomes for the community through this partnership.
It's an important step towards building a more welcoming and inclusive community for everyone. We hope this initiative further encourages broader conversations that continue to normalise breastfeeding and ensure every parent feels supported to feed their baby whenever and wherever it is needed.
Quotes attributable to Acting Preventive Health SA Chief Executive, Melissa Bradley
It's encouraging to see the Riverland councils working together through the Riverland Preventive Health Partnership to champion this initiative.
We know that breastfeeding is important for health and wellbeing in the early years, and that it translates into healthier outcomes throughout the life-course, including a lower risk of overweight and obesity later in life.
Initiatives like Breastfeeding Is Welcome Everywhere provide women in the Riverland with the additional security and comfort they need to breastfeed in public, supporting healthier outcomes for both mother and baby.
Quotes attributable to Paringa mother, Kate Slee
While I’ve been fortunate enough to comfortably breastfeed all three of my children in public, I know for some mothers it can feel overwhelming and daunting, and that they feel like they need to be covered or in a private space to be able to do so.
This initiative from the Riverland councils to officially register various venues around the region with the ‘Breastfeeding is Welcome Here’ recognition means mothers can easily see places that actively support breastfeeding. This may allow them to feel more comfortable to head out of the house knowing there are places that will welcome them.
The Riverland region currently has one qualified breastfeeding counsellor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Initiatives like this help bring mothers together to socialise, and share information and experiences, while also raising awareness of the Australian Breastfeeding Association, both locally and more broadly.