This is a social event and we encourage you to arrive at 6.15pm for dinner. (please let us know for numbers) Presentation will be at 7.30pm

First time fathers’ learning needs: What do men need in the transition to parenthood? A formative evaluation of an online perinatal education and peer-support program.

There is a growing need for new approaches to providing information and support to first-time fathers in Australia. According to recent research, first-time fathers want programs that are informative but also allow them to interact with other men about their experiences with fatherhood. However, men face significant barriers accessing in-person services during pregnancy and soon after the birth (e.g., programs are typically run during business hours only). Fathers can be more easily engaged directly on their mobile phones, although programs that also include peer interaction and support have not been adequately evaluated. In addition, engaging health professionals, particularly those in primary care settings (e.g., GPs, midwives, etc) to help refer first-time fathers to such programs has not been described in the literature

Richard Pascal is a Counselling Psychologist in Perth who now works solely on his PhD research and as a casual academic at Curtin University. He is also a father of two. His journey here started almost fifteen years ago as a psychology trainee in the child protection and juvenile justice sectors, where he observed that many fathers were absent in their children’s lives and were also often disengaged from services. He has worked clinically with children and their parents across contexts and most recently in a private practice setting. During some of that time, he also co-facilitated antenatal information sessions for first-time parents. Since becoming a father, he also experienced the joys and challenges of the fathering journey, especially in the first 12 months. His personal and professional experiences have influenced his work with children, their parents and broader systems, and were the basis for his increasing interest in men’s transition and adjustment to parenting. He has a particular research interest in the evaluation and successful implementation of perinatal and other parenting programs. His PhD project is aimed at exploring whether there is a need for a perinatal program for first-time fathers that is delivered online and incorporates peer support as a key intervention.

Breastfeeding twins

Breastfeeding dynamics and lactation experiences following the birth of twins or multiple infants: a qualitative study.

Breastfeeding is known to offers many health advantages for all infants, such as better neurodevelopment and reduced incidents of common infections. Despite encouraging the use of human milk, breastfeeding programmes lack the appropriate advice and support when dealing with women carrying multiple infants. This study aims to illustrate the unique breastfeeding and lactation experience of mothers with multiple infants, most specifically twins, in order to explore the growing needs and difficulties of these mothers and how they could be better instructed and supported.

Maju Gama is an honour student and a recent pharmacology graduate. Their degree focused on Women's Health units and the realisation that there was a constant lack of research focus in this area. This led them to embark on a novel study exploring the distinct breastfeeding experiences of mothers with multiple infants, specifically twins.

Barriers to physical activity in breastfeeding women

She will present on a study that aimed to explore the facilitators and inhibitors of postpartum return to physical activity within the first six months. Guidelines surrounding return to any form of exercise following birth are vague and inconsistent, leaving many mothers not knowing what is suitable or not for their bodies. Examining why mothers have or haven’t chosen to return to activity will provide an in-depth understanding of the greater support, information or guidelines possibly desired by new mothers. This will allow greater knowledge of the specific reasons that postpartum return to activity is selected for or postponed for certain women.

Claudia Rich completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science majoring in Anatomy and Human Biology and minoring in Women’s Health, where she has enjoyed learning about multiple women’s health topics with a specific interest in reproductive biology and pregnancy.