Group home
Welcome to Canberra Group!
Come along and meet new friends. Chat with mums who have 'been there', be the mum who has 'been there' for others and connect with our local breastfeeding counsellors and educators.
Our local group offers a supportive atmosphere to all mums and their families to access accurate information about babies and breastfeeding.
We welcome all families. Mums, partners, extended family, friends and children of all ages can join our activities.
What we offer
We host activities across the Canberra region, including:
- plAyBA Southside - every Friday at SACC in Queanbeyan
- plAyBA Northside - fortnightly Mondays at CIT Bruce
- Discussions on breastfeeding and parenting topics, and more.
Check the calendar tab above for the dates and location details.
All face to face indoor activities will be ticketed and information on how to book your place will be included in the calendar listings. Please check our calendar for regular updates as we continue to add activities each month. Please note that whilst we try to have a breastfeeding counsellor present at our events, we cannot guarantee that in-person breastfeeding counselling will be available. For immediate breastfeeding counselling support, call the National Breastfeeding Helpline 1800 686 268.
Expecting a baby?
Breastfeeding Preparation Sessions run weekly during the evenings or at weekends. We encourage you to book in if you are pregnant and wanting to learn more about breastfeeding before your baby arrives.
Where we are?
The Canberra group covers the suburbs of Canberra and the surrounding areas of NSW, including Queanbeyan, Googong, Yass, Bungendore, Goulburn and Braidwood.
Chat & Play
Meet up at our informal playgroups and connect with other mums.
Connect & Share
Informal discussions on breastfeeding and parenting topics led by our breastfeeding counsellors and educators, in-person or online.
Cuppa & Chat
Meet up with other mums and gain support over a cuppa at a local café or our group venue.
Info & Chat
Hear a speaker with professional knowledge or lived experience present on a breastfeeding or parenting topic.
Breastfeeding drop-in
Your questions and concerns about breastfeeding answered by our local breastfeeding counsellors.
Breastfeeding Education Classes
Meet other expectant parents. Learn how breastfeeding works and what to expect in the early weeks.
Can I still come to local group events if...
Yes! Attending meetings while you're pregnant is a great way to see mums breastfeeding and learn more about it. Many of us nowadays don't have much experience with babies until we have our own, so we need all the help we can get!
You might also like to check out our popular breastfeeding education classes.
Yes! You don't need to be having problems with breastfeeding or anything else to come along and enjoy some interesting conversation and connect with local mums. It’s not just about getting Information and support. Our regular attendees keep coming along because it’s fun to be part of our local group.
Yes, as long as you don't mind seeing others breastfeed. We know that sometimes things don't work out as you’d planned. We have members who are exclusively breastfeeding, pumping and bottle feeding, mixed feeding, and exclusively formula feeding.
Everyone is welcome: no judgement, no competitions, no 'alpha parents'. We're all in this together.
Yes, as long as you don't mind seeing others breastfeed. We know that sometimes things don't work out as you’d planned. We have members who are exclusively breastfeeding, pumping and bottle feeding, mixed feeding, and exclusively formula feeding.
Everyone is welcome: no judgement, no competitions, no 'alpha parents'. We're all in this together.
Yes! Mums don't stop needing support once their child is mobile or starts walking!
Yes! ABA Local Group events are open to everyone. We just ask that you ‘sign-in’ using the QR provided to you by the group leader. This will give you access to free, ongoing Introductory ABA membership.
Joining ABA as a financial member provides us with much needed funding to continue to support mums, parents and families in the community.
Can’t make it to local group events or prefer to catch-up online? ABA Virtual Village is just a click away
Become an ABA member and get involved with your local group as a volunteer
Details
Calendar
Breast pump hire
Breast pump hire
Our group hires electric breast pumps for you to express milk for your baby. ABA members receive a 50% discount on pump hire. Not a member yet? No problem, it's easy to join and access your discount.
To request the pump of your choice, please check the availability listing and then contact the breast pump hire officer listed for that location and model of breast pump between 8am and 8pm.
Hiring pumps through ABA
All breast pumps for hire are hospital-grade. They are available for short-term or long-term hire.
Both the Ardo Carum and Ardo Calypso breast pumps are endorsed by the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Ardo is in full compliance with the International Code of Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes (WHO Code).
When hiring through ABA Canberra group we will discuss options for you and provide information on how to maximise your expressed milk and how to store it safely. All funds raised through breast pump hire go towards supporting your local group.
Breast pump hire is run by dedicated volunteer breastfeeding counsellors and educators who provide the service from their homes. As busy mums with work and family commitments, we ask for your understanding if we are unable to respond as promptly as you desire. You are welcome to contact us between 8am and 8pm. There are many families wanting to hire pumps so there may be times when all local pumps are already hired out.
Contact details for pump hire
| Location | Contact |
| Palmerston |
Andrea: SMS 0415 199 434 |
| South Canberra | 02 6162 2716 |
Weekly hire rates
Enquiries to ABA Canberra Administration Office 02 6162 2716.
Additional discounted hire for ABA Canberra members ($25 per fortnight) valid for new hires during 2023.
Enquiries ABA Canberra Administration Office 02 6162 2716.
Additional discounted hire for ABA Canberra members ($25 per fortnight) valid for new hires during 2023.
Enquiries to ABA Canberra Administration Office 02 6162 2716.
Additional discounted hire for ABA Canberra members ($25 per fortnight) valid for new hires in 2023.
Andrea: 0415 199 434 by text message between 8am and 8pm
Additional discounted hire for ABA Canberra members ($25 per fortnight) valid for new hires during 2023.
Andrea: 0415 199 434 by text message between 8am and 8pm
Additional discounted hire for ABA Canberra members ($25 per fortnight) valid for new hires during 2023.
Milk collection kit
You will also need a milk collection kit to connect to the pump you hire. If you do not already have one, you can buy the kit when you hire a pump. Costs vary from time to time – ask your ABA breast pump hire officer for current prices.
Health measures for pump hiring
Our guidelines for interactions with families and the cleaning of our pumps include:
- the ABA Breast Pump Hiring Officer being well and not having been in contact with anyone who is sick
- options for completing paperwork and payment online
- collecting/returning the breast pump from/to the ABA Breast Pump Hiring Officer’s doorstep
- stringent cleaning of returned pumps (Please note that it is standard practice that all mothers hiring our pumps are required to purchase their own milk collection kit which is available to buy at the time of hiring.)
- getting breastfeeding and pumping support via telephone on the Breastfeeding Helpline 1800 686 268
- accessing information on expressing from our website.
Read more about pumping
Download these information booklets in our Marketplace: