Nursing Mothers’ Association of Australia - NMAA - Collection - NJSN_AC-024 1975 - 2000

SERIES DESCRIPTION LIST

Series 1: Policy and Procedure 1973 – 1994
This series contains various type-written and hand-written documents; foolscap and A4 sheets, and two A5 booklets. The booklets are the Memorandum and Articles of Association of NMAA and a Code of Ethics. Documents include the positions and responsibilities of counsellors,a board meeting draft agenda, the Australian Code of Practice and WHO International Code for the Marketing of Infant Formulas, Women’s Health Policy Review, and guidelines for Public Relations Working Group. A large number of hand-written completed NMAA Annual Counselling Analysis forms 1985 (all Australian States represented). The arrangement is chronological and has been imposed.

Series 2: Correspondence 1977 – 1997
This series contains various type-written and hand-written letters and memos; foolscap and A4 sheets. Documents relevant to the International Breastfeeding Affiliation, which includes the IBA Constitution. Letters are to and from friends, the media, government departments, the office of the Prime Minister. Organisations represented include the IMF, Australia Freedom from Hunger, WHO. There are 15 stamped addressed envelopes (all opened) and one small hand-written card. The arrangement is chronological and has been imposed.

Series 3: Committee Records 1975 – 1992
This series contains type-written A4 and foolscap minutes and reports and include minutes for NMAA Executive Committee, National Mothering Week Committee, WHO Code Working Group and Public Relations Working Group; Board agenda items; Reports to the Board; Board decisions; Submissions. The arrangement is chronological and has been imposed.

Series 4: Administrative Records 1979 – 1990
This series contains type-written A4 and foolscap grant applications; financial records; reports including visit to Thailand 1982; research and government proposals; surveys; job descriptions; membership; poems. Hand-written working papers and reports. A printed booklet by the National Health Medical Research Council – “Report of the WHO International code of marketing breast-milk substitutes”. In addition to WHO, other organisations represented include Australian Federation of Consumer Organisations, International Union of Nutrition Scientists, International labour Organisation, National Women’s Justice Coalition. The arrangement is chronological and has been imposed.

Series 5: Conference Records 1978 – 1996
This series contains a number of type-written and hand-written A4 and foolscap local and international conference papers, reports of conferences, and speeches. Published leaflets and brochures. Hand-written report on talk given by Dr James Smibert 1982. Organisations include National Foundation for Australian Women, WHO, UNICEF, Tresillian (including Annual Report 1990 and Group Program on Postnatal Depression Support 1988), International Baby Food Action Network (Manilla); Australian Health Communicators Association. The arrangement is chronological and has been imposed.

Series 6: Publicity Records 1910 – 2000
This series contains various publications and press clippings; newspaper articles; newsletters; media releases; art work; brochures; advertisements; manuals; unpublished articles and history of NMAA; NMAA Cloth Badge 1964 – 1984; Papers re Mary Paton “This is Your Life” 1979; Ngamugaay Yularaay Newsletter 2000; Anti-Discrimination ABC Orchestra; Government News Releases.

BOX 1

1. Policy and Procedure 1973 – 1994
2. Correspondence re Order or Australia 1993 – 1995
3. Nursing Mothers International Workshop Committee – Correspondence 1981
4. Letters sent 1979 -1997
5. Mary Paton’s Letters sent 1977 – 1987
6. Mary Paton’s Letters received 1977 – 1987
7. Copies of Mary Paton’s letters sent re International Breastfeeding Affiliation 1986
8. Letters sent re World Health Organisation (WHO) Code 1979 – 1990
9. Letters received re WHO Code 1984 – 1990
10. Correspondence – General 1981 – 1990
11. General letters received (Helen) 1978 – 1992 (including correspondence re Sally Skulte and book “Women as Mothers – Making the Mother Book”)
12. Helen Leonard’s Papers / Personal Correspondence 1981 - 1987
13. Memos 1978 – 1990
14. AGM Minutes 1975 -1976
15. Board Minutes No. 1 – No. 7 1977 – 1978
16. Board Minutes No. 7 – No. 13 1978 – 1979
17. Executive Committee Meeting Minutes Nos 1 - 9 Oct 9 – Dec 11 1975
18. Executive Committee Meeting Minutes Nos 9 – 15 1976 – 1977
19. Minutes: National Mothering Week Committee 1979 – 1986
20. Executive Committee Meeting Minutes May 1976 – Nov 1976
21. Executive Committee Meeting Minutes Nos 8 – 14 1977
22. Minutes: Public Relations Convening Working Group 1988 - 1990
23. Minutes: WHO Code Working Group 1987 – 1990

BOX 2

1. Reports 1984 -1992
2. Board Agenda items 1982-90
3. Reports to the Board 1978 -90
4. Submissions 1985-90
5. Submissions / Monitoring of self-regulating system in advertising 1990
6. Australian Federation of Consumer Organizations Inc (AFCO) / Summary 1990
7. Grant applications 1989 -90
8. Research Proposal / “Domiciliary Midwives & the Law” 1989
9. Report from Breastfeeding Mothers in the Paid Workforce 1989
10. Reports / Marketing of Infant Formulas WHO Code 1985 -1989
11. Public Relations Convening Group / Reports 1988
12. Proposal to Monitor the implementation of WHO International Code of Marketing Breast milk substitutes 1988
13. Working papers/ Survey Breast Feeding Women in the paid workforce 1987
14. Lobbying 1986/7 Appeal
15. Report/ Honorary Advisors' Working Group Executive Officer 1985-86
16. Hon Secretary's Reports 1986
17. Submission to Health Commission 1985
18. Survey & Queries 1984
19. Report / Visit to Thailand 1982
20. NMAA Membership c. 1982
21. Project Report / Infant Nutrition / 1982
22. Report on Talk given by Dr James Smibert at National Conference 1982
23. Financial Records 1979
24. Submissions to Planning Committee 1977
25. Board Decisions / Motions passed by Executive Committee 1975 -76
26. Survey of the needs of Breastfeeding Mothers in the Workforce (undated)
27. National Women’s Justice Coalition Submission / Maternity Protection 1998 - 2000

BOX 3

1. Conference papers 1984 – 1996
2. NFAW Conference papers 1990
3. WHO Agenda items 1984 - 1990
4. Tresillian Family Care / Postnatal Depression Support Group Papers 1987 - 1990
5. IBFAN Forum / Manilla 1989
6. Discussion paper / WHO Code NWCC 1987 - 1990
7. Breastfeeding papers / BUNSO 1989
8. Speeches 1987 - 1989
9. WHO International Code / Working Group papers 1984 – 1989
10. Tresillian Postnatal Depression Support Group Program 1988
11. Public Relations Training Workshop papers 1987
12. Breastfeeding Promotion Working Group papers 1984 -1987
13. International Breastfeeding Affiliation papers 1980 - 1987
14. Working papers / miscellaneous c. 1980 - 1982
15. International Workshop Reports 1979 – 1982
16. Post Workshop papers 1981
17. International Workshop papers 1980 - 1983
18. Seminar for Associations 1980
19. National Mothering Week Working Group papers 1979 -1980
20. Papers / Mary Paton – “This is Your Life” 1979
21. Susu Mama's papers 1978 - 1979
22. Statement & Recommendations on Infant Feeding / WHO UNICEF / 1979

BOX 4

1. Feedback on trial use of report forms 1983
2. Correspondence / Statistics Working Group 1984 - 1985
3. Reporting Systems Working Group papers 1981 – 1985
4. Annual Counselling Analysis ACT & NSW March 1985
5. Annual Counselling Analysis NSW Branch March 1985 (1)
6. Annual Counselling Analysis NSW Branch March 1985 (2)
7. Annual Counselling Analysis Victoria Branch March 1985
8. Annual Counselling Analysis Queensland Branch March 1985 (1)
9. Annual Counselling Analysis Queensland Branch March 1985 (2)
10. Annual Counselling Analysis Queensland Branch March 1985 (3)
11. Annual Counselling Analysis South Australia Branch March 1985
12. Annual Counselling Analysis Western Australia Branch March 1985
13. Annual Counselling Analysis Tasmania Branch March 1985
14. Annual Counselling Analysis Northern Territory Branch March 1985
15. Annual Counselling Analysis 1 – 123 Victoria Branch March 1985
16. Annual Counselling Analysis / Miscellaneous 1985
17. Annual Counselling Analysis National 1983 - 1985
18. Reporting System Forms (undated)

BOX 5

1. Publication / Ngamugaay Yularaay Inc Newsletter January 2000
2. Press clippings 1910 – 92
3. Anti-discrimination / ABC Orchestra / Breastfeeding in public 1991 - 1992
4. Women As Mothers / Poems 1990
5. Publications / Breastfeeding 1981 – 1990
6. Newsletters 1981 – 1990
7. Unpublished paper / Response to the discussion paper (WHO Code) 1990
8. Contacts 1989
9. Media releases 1988 - 1991
10. Publications / Newsletter articles c.1989
11. Publications / Postnatal Depression 1988 – 1989
12. Publications / Breastfeeding articles 1987 – 1990
13. Unpublished papers on Breastfeeding 1981 – 1989
14. Publicity Records c 1980 – 1992
15. Publication / Manual on Breastfeeding / Promotion 1987
16. News releases from Government Ministers 1983 – 1990
17. Unpublished papers / Ten Years of Achievements 1985 - 1995
18. Publication / Breastfeeding Guide / Fiji 1983
19. Publications / Working & Breastfeeding 1982
20. Publicity / Artwork for National Mothering Week / catalogue 1980
21. Talkabout Material 1977 – 1980
22. Advertisements
23. Constitution of Maternity Alliance (undated)
24. Unpublished articles/ History of NMAA
25. Publication / WHO / Women & Breastfeeding (undated)

RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLICATION:

Reproduction rights are owned by Jessie Street National Women's Library. Material may be saved or printed for private research, however, if it is to be used for any other purpose, a ‘Request Permission to Publish’ form should be completed.


RESTRICTIONS ON PHYSICAL ACCESS:

Available for research. Not for loan.

CREATION/PRODUCTION CREDITS NOTE:

Library permission and acknowledgement required.

Administrative History:

Originally named the Nursing Mothers’ Association, this association was founded by (Natalie) Mary Paton and five friends – Janice Barry, Glenise Francis, Patricia Patterson, Pauline Pick and Susan Woods, on 13 February 1964 in suburban Melbourne, Victoria.
In 1962, Mary Paton was acutely aware of the lack of breastfeeding information for young mothers when she was unable to adequately nurse her first born. She was concerned that the art of breastfeeding was in danger of being lost forever; at this time formula feeding was seen as modern and fashionable and viewed as being as good as, if not better than breastfeeding.
Mary and her friends decided to take action and the name Nursing Mothers’ Association was decided upon as it combined the ideas of breastfeeding and nurturing. This was at a time when censorship restrictions would not allow words such as breast, pregnant or nipple in public print or on the airwaves. The Postmaster General’s Department (part of which is now Telstra) would not allow the word breastfeeding to be printed in the telephone directory.
By 1965, the Constitution and a Code of Ethics were adopted. Counsellor training systems were introduced, and publications and booklets followed.
The extra A for Australia was added in 1969 to reflect the national nature as the association grew. In 1976, the first breastfeeding Helpline was established in Melbourne, with trained volunteer counsellors taking calls day and night.
This grass-roots association continued to grow nationally and a further name change took place in 2001 – the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA). By 2014, the ABA supported more than 80,000 mothers each year, ran a 24-hour Breastfeeding Helpline and had 230+ local support groups with 1100 trained volunteer counsellors and educators.
The ABA continues to flourish and further information can be found on their website: https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au.
Much of this information has been taken from a media release of the book “Nursing Mums: A history of the Australian Breastfeeding Association 1964 – 2014” and a Biography in Trove (NLA): “The Nursing Mothers’ Association Australia (1964 – 2001).

RESTRICTIONS ON REPRODUCTION:

Library permission and acknowledgement is required to copy material for research purposes.

DATE OF ACQUISITION:

c.2000
EXTENT:

Approximately 5 standard archive boxes

INFORMATION RELATING TO COPYRIGHT STATUS:

Copyright holder is JSNWL
JSNWL

LANGUAGE:

English