Healthy choices Getting help and For more information Breastfeeding for pregnancy and information and help breastfeeding Breastfeeding is good for baby and has lots Other things you can do to stay healthy and Sometimes women don’t get help because Local Contact of benefits. Breastfeeding can: grow a strong baby include: they may feel shame talking about their alcohol use. But it’s never too late - every Protect your baby from infection and Regular check-ups with effort made to stop or reduce the amount of illness. your health worker. alcohol consumed, will help grow a strong Provide your baby with healthy food. Yarning about and healthy baby. Help your baby to grow strong. Strengthen bonds with your baby. Aboriginal health workers or other health Alcohol and professionals are there to help you. Daily exercise or Alcohol & Drug Support Line They can talk with you about ways to help Pregnancy physical activity. The Alcohol and Drug Support Line can provide you keep you and your baby strong and information about culturally secure alcohol and healthy. They can help you stop or cut down drug services in your area. They are a confidential, your use in safe ways. 24 hour, statewide telephone counselling, information Lots of sleep and and referral service for anyone concerned about their rest to help manage It may not be easy to make changes but own or another person’s alcohol or other drug use. stress. your family, friends and other people in your Call backs are available. community can help and support you. Phone: 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024 (country callers) E-mail: [email protected] Alcohol can pass to the baby through Website: alcoholdrugsupport.mhc.wa.gov.au breastmilk. This can cause harm to the baby Plenty of healthy Aboriginal support system as it takes about 2 hours for one standard food and water. drink of alcohol to leave a woman’s body.

Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding can Yarning with reduce the amount of milk you produce and grannies, aunties, make the baby sleep less. mums, sisters, Produced by Strong Spirit Strong Mind™ Aboriginal Programs cousins and friends and Alcohol.Think Again Stopping or reducing your alcohol use whilst about how to keep breastfeeding is best for you and your baby. your baby strong Government of Western Australia and healthy. Mental Health Commission

Artist: Barry McGuire (Mullark). The Aboriginal Inner Spirit Model (Ngarlu Assessment Model) was developed by Joseph ‘Nipper’ Roe, who belonged to the Karajarri and Yawuru people. Illustrations: Patrick Bayly, Workspace Design. © Mental Health Commission 2021 Aboriginal Inner Spirit There is no safe amount If you’re pregnant or Ways to stop or reduce Model or time to drink alcohol planning to have a baby, drinking alcohol What Dads can do during pregnancy you shouldn’t drink during pregnancy alcohol.

Some ways to help you stop or reduce your It’s not just up to mums. Dads are important drinking when pregnant are: too, and can make healthy choices to support their partners and families. Have a yarn with your partner or family about you needing support to stop drinking Dads can offer support by: alcohol when you’re pregnant and breastfeeding. Joining your partner in not drinking alcohol. Choose an alcohol free drink you enjoy. This means you can still participate in Yarning with your partner about supporting their decision to not drink alcohol. Not drinking alcohol during pregnancy is social gatherings while you are pregnant. important. Finding other ways to help you relax, Offering your Our inner spirit is the centre of Our children need to be born healthy so they partner alcohol-free Your placenta does not protect your baby such as: our being and emotions. have a strong spirit and a strong mind. alternatives. from alcohol. So when you drink alcohol, • going for a walk. When our spirit feels strong our • doing low impact exercises such as so does your baby. Stopping or reducing alcohol use during Going with your mind feels strong. yoga or swimming. partner to antenatal Alcohol can cause lifelong harm to your pregnancy will help baby grow strong. • doing other activities you enjoy, like classes. When our spirit feels tangled baby, including physical, mental and It might be hard, but not drinking alcohol is art, fishing or going out on country. our mind feels tangled. behavioural disabilities. This is known as Eating healthy and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). best for you and your baby. You may not want to share that a Strong inner spirit is what keeps people exercising pregnancy is the reason you are not with your partner. healthy and keeps them connected together. Your baby’s brain continues to grow If you or someone you know might be or drinking. It might be helpful to say you are throughout your whole pregnancy, and is pregnant and are concerned that alcohol Strong inner spirit keeps our family strong, not drinking because: Helping look after the alcohol can damage your growing baby’s has been consumed, have a yarn with a kids by taking them our community strong and our country alive. health worker. There is no judgement or • you are on a health kick. brain at any time. • you are trying to save money. hunting, fishing or shame in yarning. down to the park. The risk of harm increases the more you • you are driving. drink, and the more frequently you drink.