Supporting Infant and Young Child Feeding in the First 2000 Days

The Health & Well-being Research Theme, & the Mother, Infant and Family Health Research Network in the School of Nursing and Midwifery & the Centre for Transforming Early Education and Health (TeEACH) Western Sydney University invite you to this research webinar.

The quality of an infant and young child’s diet is critical for growth and development.The World Health Organization (WHO, 2011) recommends all mothers exclusively breastfeed their infant for the child's first six months to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, they should be given nutritious complementary foods and continue breastfeeding up to the age of two years or beyond.

But around the world, one in three children are not growing well (UNICEF, 2019)The majority of these children live in low- and middle-income countries, however, many live in high-income countries, including Australia. Almost one in two children worldwide receive breastmilk substitutes in the first six months either instead of breastmilk or in addition to breastmilk. Furthermore 21% of babies in high-income countries are never breastfed compared with 4% in low and middle income countries (UNICEF, 2018).

In this webinar we will offer a snap shot of related current research at Western Sydney University.

The Zoom link will be sent to you via email the day before the event.

The Program

2.00-2.10 Acknowledgement of Country & Introduction to infant and young child nutrition and food research at Western Professor Virginia Schmied

2.10-2.15 Feeding in emergencies – COVID-19 but don’t forget the bushfires Dr Karleen Gribble

2.15-2.20 Breastfeeding after return to work: A National Survey Dr Elaine Burns

2.20-2.25 ‘Its okay to breastfeed but….’ Associate Professor Athena Sheehan

2.25-2.30 Fathers and breastfeeding – strategies to improve to support Dr Kingsley Agho

2.30-2.35 ‘Let yourself off the hook’– Mothers’ day letters and breastfeeding Prof Virginia Schmied

2.35-2.40 Tongue-Tie and women’s infant feeding experience Louise Duursma

2.40-2.45 ‘Premature Infants’ Readiness to feed’ Dr Kaye Spence & Dr Jann Foster

2.45-2.50 How to promote brilliant care for children with complex feeding difficulties Associate Professor Ann Dadich

2.50-2.55 Infant feeding in the out-of-home care context Dr Stacy Blythe

2.55-3.00 The three C’s of infant feeding commercial squeeze pouches: cost, claims and consumption Dr Catharine Fleming

3.00-3.05 Trajectories of discretionary foods in infancy and early childhood Dr Narendar Manohar

3.05-3.30 Panel discussion & Q&A with representatives from NSW Health & ABA

3.30 Summary and Close