Thousands of mums use baby hotline

MORE than 41,000 new and expecting mums worried about their baby's health sought help from a government hotline last year.

Mother breastfeeding

MORE than 41,000 new and expecting mums worried about their baby's health sought help from a government hotline last year.

Advice on how to bottle feed, breastfeed and introduce solid foods were also among the top ten most-asked questions of callers to the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby helpline.

Help with a crying baby and sleep problems, and advice on teething, sudden infant death syndrome and problems in pregnancy, such as morning sickness, were also raised.

Australian Breastfeeding Association spokeswoman Meredith Laverty said she was not surprised at the number of mums seeking advice about how to feed their baby.

Although many new mothers think breastfeeding will be natural, it is a learned skill, she said.

"We don't live in a village any more and many new mothers have never seen a baby being breastfed. People need help," she said.

Ms Laverty said many women were also unsure about whether a mother can drink alcohol while breastfeeding and wanted advice about whether medicines like cold and flu capsules might be transported to their baby through breast milk.

The government helpline began operation in July 2010 and provides advice and information about pregnancy, birth and the first 12 months of a baby's life.

It also offers free, confidential, professional information and counselling for women, their partners and families relating to issues of conception, pregnancy, birthing and postnatal care.

Almost 80 per cent of the calls to the hotline were made by women.

Monday was the busiest day for calls, while Saturday had the lowest volume.

Around 70 per cent of the parents who contacted the hotline were referred to a nurse, around one in ten was supplied with pregancy fact sheets, and one in 14 was given contact details for a health care provider.

The $17 million helpline can refer mums and pregnant women to other organisations with special areas of expertise such as the Breastfeeding Hotline, adoption agencies, PANDA, BeyondBlue and Family Planning, SIDS and Kids Australia, and Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support (SANDS).

The number is 1800 88 24 36.

TOP 20 REASONS FOR CONTACTING THE HOTLINE

1. Maternal and child health

2. Constipation

3. Drugs and alcohol

4. Feeding:bottle

5. Feeding:solids

6. Feeding:breast

7. Hospital facilities

8. Crying baby

9. Sleep 0-3 months

10. Sexual health services

11. Child health: poos, wees and nappies

12. Family welfare

13. Pregnancy: eating well

14. Sleep: 6 months plus

15. Sleep:3-6 months

16. Teeth development and teething

17. Chicken pox

18. Sudden infant death syndrome

19. Pregnancy: early signs of pregnancy

20. General counselling: adults/family/relationship.