Australian Breastfeeding Association

What Australian Breastfeeding Association does

The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) is a Melbourne-headquartered, nonprofit peak body founded in 1964 that operates as Australia's largest information and support service for breastfeeding. It serves two principal constituencies: (1) mothers and families, who access a free 24-hour Breastfeeding Helpline (1800 686 268), local volunteer-run groups across Australia, breast pump hire, breastfeeding education classes, and online resources via breastfeeding.asn.au; and (2) health professionals (doctors, nurses, midwives, dietitians, pharmacists, and IBCLCs), who access accredited continuing professional development through abaprofessional.asn.au. ABA is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 21659) and receives funding from the Australian Government.

ABA's commercial product surface for health professionals is built on a website platform with an integrated Learning Management System. Core offerings include Professional Memberships (annual $195, quarterly $53.65, student $48), an eLearning module catalogue at $45 per module delivering IBLCE CERPs and ACM CPD points, the peer-reviewed Breastfeeding Review journal (published three times per year), the Diploma of Breastfeeding Management, monthly research summaries and feature articles, downloadable clinical fact sheets, Essence Magazine (also sold in bulk), Scientific Information Officer consultations, one-day workshops, an annual live seminar series, and an upcoming webinar series. Supporting resources include the Mary Paton Research Award (sponsored with Ardo breast pumps) and institutional bulk membership packages for health service organisations.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of recurring membership subscriptions, one-time eLearning and resource sales, event registrations, textbook and merchandise sales, and Australian Government funding as an RTO. Marketing and distribution combine content marketing, social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn), a podcast that reached the top 50 Kids and Family chart, monthly eNewsletters, webinars, and direct community channels via the helpline and local groups. ABA also engages in regulatory advocacy, notably through ACCC consultations on the MAIF Agreement, and collaborates internationally with WHO and UNICEF and academically with La Trobe and Western Sydney University.

Name

Australian Breastfeeding Association

Legal name

Australian Breastfeeding Association

Website

https://abaprofessional.asn.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) is a 60-year-old Melbourne-based nonprofit and Registered Training Organisation that provides free 24/7 helpline and community support to Australian mothers and families, and sells accredited CPD memberships, eLearning modules, journals, and training to health professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maternal and Child Health Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Breastfeeding, Lactation & Infant Feeding Support (EDACAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lactation, Postpartum & Perinatal Support Services (HLAFAJAN), Infant & Toddler Nutrition Education (Complementary Feeding) (EDACAMAC), Lactation & Infant Feeding Telehealth (lactation consulting, pumping support) (HLALAHAE)

Keywords

• Breastfeeding support services
• Maternal health education
• Lactation professional training
• Nonprofit health organisation
• Breastfeeding information resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne, VIC

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Memberships: Annual, quarterly, and student membership fees providing access to professional resources, CPD opportunities, journals, newsletters, and discounts on education modules and resources.
2. eLearning Module Sales: Sale of online education modules (typically $45 per module, with 20% discount for members) providing accredited professional development points.
3. Event Registrations: Registration fees for Annual Live Seminar Series and Health Professional Seminar events, with CPD points included.
4. Resource Sales: Sales of educational resources including the Breastfeeding Management in Australia textbook (5th ed.) and other materials, with member discounts.
5. Government Funding: ABA receives funding from the Australian Government as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 21659).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Australian Breastfeeding Association delivers breastfeeding information, education, training, and peer support to Australian families and to health professionals. Its sellable offerings include accredited training (Diploma of Breastfeeding Management and eLearning modules), professional and student memberships, a Breastfeeding Helpline, workshops, webinars, an annual live seminar series, and subscription publications.

Product overview

The Australian Breastfeeding Association operates a platform-plus-modules architecture for health professional development in breastfeeding support. The core offerings include Professional and Student Memberships providing access to the Breastfeeding Review peer-reviewed journal, monthly eNewsletters, feature articles, and research summaries. Educational products include eLearning Modules (offering accredited CPD/CERP points on topics like Nipple Pain and Breast Anatomy), the Diploma of Breastfeeding Management, one-day workshops, webinar series, and annual live seminar series. Supplementary resources encompass downloadable fact sheets on clinical topics, Essence Magazine, the Mary Paton Research Award, and consultations with a Scientific Information Officer. The 24-hour Breastfeeding Helpline (1800 686 268) provides direct support to families. The products form an integrated professional development ecosystem designed to enable health professionals to engage in best-practice breastfeeding support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Membership Annual membership for health professionals (midwives, lactation consultants, nurses, GPs) providing access to the Breastfeeding Review journal, monthly research summaries, monthly feature articles, downloadable fact sheets, eLearning modules, workshops, webinars, and Scientific Information Officer consultations.
• Student Membership Lower-cost annual membership for students undertaking maternal and child health studies, providing the same core member benefits as Professional Membership.
• Diploma of Breastfeeding Management Accredited qualification for health professionals seeking comprehensive lactation management training, delivered under ABA's Registered Training Organisation (RTO 21659) status.
• eLearning Modules Self-paced online learning modules covering breastfeeding topics for health professionals, sold individually or accessed via Professional Membership.
• Breastfeeding Helpline National toll-free telephone helpline (1800 mum 2 mum) staffed by trained volunteer breastfeeding counsellors, providing free 24/7 support to families across Australia.
• Breastfeeding Review Journal Peer-reviewed academic journal publishing breastfeeding research, reviews, and clinical practice articles, primarily for health professional members.
• Essence Magazine Member magazine featuring breastfeeding stories, evidence-based articles, and ABA news, included with Professional and Student Membership.
• Annual Live Seminar Series Yearly seminar event delivered nationally for health professionals, featuring expert speakers on breastfeeding and lactation topics.
• One-day Workshops Single-day in-person workshops for health professionals on applied breastfeeding and lactation clinical topics.
• Webinar Series Recurring online webinars delivering expert-led breastfeeding and lactation content to health professionals nationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• ABA is Australia's largest breastfeeding information and support service
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABA collaborates with WHO on breastfeeding guidelines and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. WHO recommendations inform ABA's evidence-based resources and advocacy positions. ABA references WHO guidelines extensively in its professional education materials.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF jointly developed the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding with WHO. ABA aligns with these international standards in its Australian context and resources.
• Ardo breast pumpsminorOthersArdo breast pumps sponsors the Mary Paton Research Award, contributing $5000 to support outstanding breastfeeding research. This is a product sponsorship arrangement.
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABA engages in regulatory consultations with ACCC regarding the MAIF Agreement (Marketing in Australia of Infant Formula), advocating for breastfeeding protection and appropriate marketing regulations.
• La Trobe UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABA collaborates with academic institutions like La Trobe University on research, expert panels, and professional development content. Professor Lisa Amir from La Trobe participated in ABA expert panel discussions.
• Western Sydney UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research and expert knowledge. Dr Karleen Gribble from Western Sydney University has contributed to ABA expert panels on COVID-19 and infant feeding.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Infant Risk Center: Specialises in medication safety during lactation, providing evidence-based resources and a helpline for health professionals and mothers - adjacent peer in the lactation information space.
• KellyMom: Evidence-based online breastfeeding resource widely used by parents and health professionals - comparable digital content play in the lactation support space, though lacking the helpline and community groups of ABA.

Direct peers

• Healthy Children Project: Provides accredited lactation consultant training (including the Certified Lactation Counselor course) and educational resources for health professionals - closely comparable to ABA's CPD-accredited eLearning and Diploma offerings.
• La Leche League International: Global volunteer-led breastfeeding support organisation offering mother-to-mother support, leader accreditation, and health professional resources - directly comparable to ABA's community-led support and professional development mission.
• International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA): Global professional association for IBCLCs offering membership, journals, conferences, and continuing education - directly comparable to ABA's professional membership and Breastfeeding Review journal for lactation consultants.
• Breastfeeding USA: US-based nonprofit providing breastfeeding information and support through trained volunteers and a national helpline - directly mirrors ABA's volunteer-driven model and educational mission.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF (Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative): UN agency that jointly developed the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding with WHO; sets international standards that ABA aligns with and supports via advocacy and training.
• World Health Organization (WHO): Sets global breastfeeding guidelines and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes that ABA references and advocates for in Australia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OzBreastfeeding?mx=2
• Facebookfacebook.com/ozbreastfeeding
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ozbreastfeeding
• Instagraminstagram.com/ozbreastfeeding

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian Breastfeeding Association