FARE CEO, Ms Caterina Giorgi said women who are breastfeeding want access to clear and current information about alcohol.

“As part of the Every Moment Matters campaign, we’ve collaborated with the Australian Breastfeeding Association to update the Feed Safe app to reflect the current evidence and advice on alcohol and breastfeeding.

“The National Health and Medical Research Council’s updated Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol advise that if you’re breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest.

“The Feed Safe app supports women to ensure that their breastmilk is alcohol-free before breastfeeding,” Ms Giorgi said.

Researcher Dr Roslyn Gigilia was involved in the original development of the app, and its relaunch. She is passionate about supporting women to adopt safe breastfeeding practices.

“Developing infant brains are more vulnerable to alcohol than adult brains, and exposure to alcohol through breastmilk has been linked to deficits in psychomotor development.

“Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding can also disrupt baby’s sleep, and result in feeding difficulties due to changes in the flow of milk. This change in milk flow creates a reduction in milk supply.

She goes on to add how the app helps address these issues.

“Feed Safe makes it clear that the only way to ensure that breastmilk is alcohol-free is to wait for your body to process the alcohol. This takes approximately two hours per standard drink.

“Over the last decade, Feed Safe has been used more than 3 million times, so it’s a really important public health tool that supports women who breastfeed.”

Australian Breastfeeding Association Executive Officer Victoria Marshall-Cerins said the Feed Safe app is a free and easy tool to use.

“Feed Safe provides answers to the most common questions about alcohol and breastfeeding. It has a timer, and uses your height, weight and alcohol intake to estimate when your breastmilk should be free of alcohol, and alert you when this time has been reached.

“The app also includes a standard drinks guide, contact information for the National Breastfeeding Helpline and contact numbers for alcohol and drug services around Australia.”

Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler said the Every Moment Matters campaign is providing Australians with the latest health information about alcohol and breastfeeding.

“The Albanese Government is proud to fund this campaign. It includes evidence-based advice and resources about safe breastfeeding practices, including tips on avoiding alcohol, and effective harm minimisation strategies.

“Updating and promoting the Feed Safe app is one of the many ways the campaign is supporting women to ensure the milk their baby drinks is alcohol-free.”

To access the Feed Safe app and to find out more about alcohol and breastfeeding, visit everymomentmatters.org.au

When breastfeeding, parents can seek out information on alcohol, wanting to know about alcohol and breastmilk. 

When it comes to alcohol, the National Health and Medical Research Councils (NHMRC) Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol that advise ‘when breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for the health of your baby.’

If alcohol is consumed, it’s important to ensure that the breastmilk the baby drinks is alcohol-free.

Any alcohol consumed passes freely into your breastmilk, and while there is alcohol in your bloodstream it’s also in your breastmilk. 

The only way to eliminate alcohol from breastmilk is to wait for your body to process the alcohol, which takes approximately two hours per standard drink.

Why is this important?

If a baby ingests alcohol via breastmilk, even small amounts can disrupt their sleep or alter the flow of milk. A change in milk flow may make feeding more difficult and reduce supply. 

It is also important to know that the brain of the developing infant is much more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol than an adult brain. Exposure to alcohol has been linked to developmental issues in early childhood.

The safest thing you can do for your baby is to not drink alcohol when you are breastfeeding. 

Tips and strategies

If you do drink alcohol, there are things you can do to make sure your breastmilk is alcohol-free before feeding.

You can:

• Wait two hours per standard drink before breastfeeding
• Express breastmilk before drinking in case your baby needs to feed sooner than planned
• Download and use the Feed Safe app on your phone

The Feed Safe app uses your height, weight, and information about the alcohol you have consumed to alert you when your breastmilk is alcohol-free and safe to feed your baby.

The app, first developed over 10 years ago has been used more than 3 million times! 

Every Moment Matters

This year, as part of the ‘Every Moment Matters’ Campaign the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) and Dr Roslyn Giglia have worked in partnership to update the app. 

Feed Safe has clear and current advice, a standard drinks guide, contact information for the National Breastfeeding Helpline and contact numbers for alcohol and drug services around Australia.

You can find the Feed Safe app and download for free via the Apple or Android stores. You can also find it online.

To download the app or for further information, helpful facts and resources about alcohol, pregnancy and breastfeeding please visit Every Moment Matters. 

To ensure policies and systems keep people safe from alcohol harm and support those most affected, the voices of people with lived experience of alcohol harm must be heard in public conversations and policy making.

This report aims to showcase lived and living experiences of alcohol harm in the Victorian community. Advocates in Victoria whose stories are featured in the report were engaged as active participants in co-producing research on their experiences, shared through their participation in the Victorian Voices on Alcohol Harm Network.

The experiences and insights of the Lived Experience Advocates centred on five key themes: 

1. Mental health
2. Family violence
3. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
4. Culture
5. Embedding lived experience in policy development

Mother-of-three Breanna McGuire had some odd cravings during pregnancy, but alcohol wasn’t one of them. 

“Crumpets with corn relish, sandwich pickles on them with, like, lots of butter. Lots of butter on a crumpet with BBQ sauce. It’s so weird. I still like it now. I could easily eat one now,” she said, thinking back. 

Reflecting on both the foods she craved and those she willingly gave up, Breanna said alcohol never really entered the equation.

“I didn’t see it as a big deal because the health of my baby was number one. I’m Indigenous and have worked with kids who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), so I’m really aware of the importance of not drinking any alcohol while pregnant.”

Breanna said having an alcohol-free pregnancy also made her realise she didn’t need alcohol to go out and have a good time.  

“In a social setting, I did find it difficult in the beginning, especially being 18 when I fell pregnant with my eldest daughter but after probably a few weeks, to be honest, I realised it was actually really good for me. 

“I used to think I needed alcohol to socialise, but with my last pregnancy I had my cousin’s wedding and hen’s day – I thought it would be hard, but it was a positive thing for me to realise I didn’t need it.  

“Now I just have a soda water and lime if we’re out, or other drinks.” 

Having an alcohol-free pregnancy is just one part of Breanna’s approach to ensuring her children don’t see drinking alcohol as the norm. 

“I actually don’t really like having alcohol around my children,” she said. “My family has always had alcohol at every social event, but I don’t want my kids growing up thinking that’s normal. 

“The thought of them seeing me or others drinking all the time just doesn’t sit well with me. It’s not what I want for them, and I think that makes my decision easier.”

We regularly share stories like Breanna’s. Sign up to receive these stories by email, or to share your own experiences with alcohol through our Voices of Change project.

Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) CEO Caterina Giorgi said the ABAC’s reversal of its position on Hard Solo showed that the industry-led scheme is not working.

“After almost four months, a number of community complaints and Parliamentarians calling for action, Asahi and their mates at the sham ABAC scheme have admitted that an alcoholic product based on a popular soft drink appeals to children,” Ms Giorgi said.

“It’s not even clear from ABAC or Asahi’s response, what the plan is with the branding of the product. All that we know from their statement is that they have been dragged kicking and screaming into changing the name of the product next year.

“This is not meaningful action. It’s a marketing ploy leading into Schoolies and the Summer season so that Asahi can squeeze every inch of free publicity that they can to promote a product that even their mates on the ABAC has said appeals to kids.”

Ms Giorgi said the ABAC had changed its position on Hard Solo only after the product received intense media scrutiny when the product drew the attention of federal Parliamentarians.

“The ABAC, which was set up and is run by alcohol companies and their lobbyists, waved Hard Solo through by ‘pre-vetting the product’ before it hit the shelves in July. Now the very same scheme is saying that this product appeals to kids,” she said.

“It was only after months of scrutiny in the media and by Parliamentarians that the ABAC backflipped and confirmed that Asahi has designed a product that appeals directly to children and young people.

“Today’s announcement just confirms the very obvious point that alcohol companies and lobbyists cannot be trusted to set their own rules about alcohol marketing.

“It should not take a viral media story for the ABAC to admit that this multinational alcohol company has breached its own scheme, which is completely voluntary and has no penalties. The fact that the company – Carlton United, is a member of the Brewers Association – a lobby group on the ABAC Advisory Committee – just shows that this process was fraught from the very beginning.

“The ABAC has a consistent track record of allowing alcohol companies to market their products to minors and dismissing community concerns.

“It is time for real government-led regulation of alcohol marketing that adheres to community standards and protects our kids from harmful marketing tactics that are designed to drive up sales.”

Hearing their mum, Robin, talk about her experiences more than three decades ago really brought home to sisters Taryn and Christy just how different current attitudes are to drinking alcohol in pregnancy. 

“I think times have changed a lot. The Guidelines and information have come a long way, and the advice is clear – don’t drink any alcohol while you’re pregnant,” said Taryn (37).

For younger sister Christy (35), a nurse and the mother of a toddler and a newborn, the evidence to support why it’s important not to drink any alcohol during pregnancy is indisputable. 

“There’s a lot more information now about the damage that alcohol can do to developing babies. Back when mum was pregnant there wasn’t all that information available,” she said. 

Reflecting on her pregnancies with both Taryn and Christy, Robin (67) agrees and feels that sometimes her generation can be more opinionated.

“I often hear friends my age saying to younger women that one drink won’t hurt. But that is because the information just wasn’t provided to us when we were pregnant. Times have changed and it’s important that everyone in the community is across this.” 

In December 2020, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released the updated Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol (the Guidelines), advising that women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol. 

Taryn said that with so many people offering opinions when you are pregnant, having clear guidelines on drinking alcohol during pregnancy is incredibly helpful. 

“Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should do pregnancy, how you should raise kids, what should be happening at different stages, so it’s this time in your life when everyone just feels like they can have an opinion and say whatever they like.  

“With the Guidelines, it’s good to know the evidence and the facts, so you can make informed decisions about what you want to do.” 

As a very social family, one thing the sisters had to reconsider was how they would approach spending time with their friends without alcohol playing a part. 

“For me I still go out and I still have like water or soda water, but I’ve also redesigned my social life a bit to make it easier,” said Taryn. 

“So I’ll catch up with friends for breakfast or a walk or something that doesn’t necessarily involve alcohol, and I’ve really enjoyed that. 

“I feel like I’ve got more energy, more time, and have better quality catch-ups with people, so for me it’s been a fun experience. 

“Go somewhere where you can have an alternative or have mocktails – they’re amazing these days,” added Christy. 

Both Taryn and Christy said that the transition to not drinking alcohol has been made easier by their family support network.  

“It’s been amazing getting pregnant at the same time as my sister because we go out together a lot, so both of us not drinking has really helped,” said Taryn.  

“It’s good to have a support buddy.” 

In July 2023 Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) asked for submissions on Proposal P1049: Carbohydrate and sugar claims on alcoholic beverages. This was in response to concerns raised at the Food Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) in 2017 about sugar free claims being misleading. Further concerns were that alcohol was being promoted as a healthier choice when public health advice is to limit alcohol intake.  

FARE was invited by FSANZ to provide a submission in response to this proposal.  

FARE’s submission included the following recommendation:  

that FSANZ amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) to prohibit carbohydrate claims being made in relation to alcoholic products and in doing so, provide irrefutable clarity in the intent of the Code to prohibit the use of sugar claims for alcoholic products. 

FARE’s submission highlighted the following concerns: 

• FSANZ’s approach in developing the proposal was limited in intent and scope, with a disregard for the ‘health halo effect’, and is not in line with the FMM’s request  
• FSANZ previously found in its 2017 Technical Assessment for carbohydrate claims about food containing alcohol that claims specifically about sugar were not to be permitted under the Code. Yet alcohol companies have been making prohibited sugar content claims for almost 5 years since then 
• FSANZ has disregarded in its proposed amendments the Australian Dietary Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, which strongly recommend limiting alcohol use to reduce risk from alcohol harms 
• FSANZ did not consider harm from alcohol use in its cost-benefit analysis 
• FSANZ moved away from its original intent of assessing potential harms from alcoholic products containing misleading sugar claims to addressing sugar information as the primary topic 
• FSANZ should not have found costs to industry and removing labels prohibited under the Code as a leading factor in the cost-benefit analysis. 

The findings show people accessing the platform have been widely exposed to the product, with some of the user-generated videos receiving high levels of engagement.

For young people, exposure to alcohol marketing increases the likelihood of starting to drink alcohol at a younger age and drinking alcohol at higher risk levels later in life. Ensuring that children are not exposed to alcohol marketing is therefore important in preventing harm.

The Hard Solo product closely resembles the well-recognised non-alcoholic soft drink, Solo. Because of the clear similarities between the two, there is concern that it promotes the use of alcoholic products among young people, and that children may confuse the alcoholic version with the soft drink.

Currently in Australia, there isn’t federal regulation covering alcohol marketing. Instead, alcohol companies set their own advertising rules through the voluntary, industry-led and funded Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) scheme.

Key findings and recommendations

• The hashtags ‘#hardsolo’ and ‘#hardsoloalcoholic’ respectively had 10.2 million views and 741,700 views, according to the TikTok mobile application on 20 October 2023.
• When analysing the content on TikTok, three key themes consistently emerged:
  • Appeal to young people
  • Speed and ease of intoxication
  • The masked taste of alcohol
• Nine of the TikTok videos referenced in this report alone had a collective total of over 120,000 likes at 10 October 2023.
• In the absence of comprehensive federal government regulation, legislation in some states and territories allows regulators to restrict alcoholic products that are likely to be confused with soft drink – for example, due to a resemblance to soft drink. These jurisdictions can therefore take definitive action now to ensure young people are free from the risks associated with Hard Solo.