MBAW 2023 MEDIA RELEASE

 

Multiple Birth Awareness Week 19-26 March 2023

 

 

The theme for Multiple Birth Awareness Week this year was chosen following consultation with parents of multiples all across Australia; the theme is 'Equality for Multiple Birth Families'. 

 

In November 2022, AMBA launched a report 'Equality of Support for Parents of Multiples' which clearly demonstrated that parents of multiples need more financial and hands-on support. Parents of multiples are blessed with unimaginable joy, but also unavoidable challenges. 

 

Every year there are approximately 4,202 parents who give birth to multiples. Of these;

 

• only 11% felt adequately supported in Australia;
• 72% of multiples spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit after they are born;
• 61% experience mental health challenges following the birth of their multiples;
• 42% feel they are often overwhelmed and exhausted and need much more support;
• 67% say childcare is not affordable and 53% struggle to secure spots in early education for their multiples; and
• 1 in 5 mothers feel very underprepared to breastfeed multiples and need much more support.

 

AMBA is committed to raising awareness of the unique challenges that multiple birth families face and looks forward to the opportunity to start a conversation about how they can be better supported this Multiple Birth Awareness Week.

 

During Multiple Birth Awareness Week this year AMBA will be launching a targeted advocacy campaign for increased financial support for multiples to assist with the unique financial burden that parents face in the early years.

 

AMBA Chairperson Larissa Jordan said “Families with twins, triples or more face a broad range of additional risks and challenges, yet receive no extra support. Parents of multiples require more emotional, physical and financial assistance to achieve positive outcomes for themselves and their children.”

 

Every year there are approximately 4,200 multiple births in Australia which accounts for 1.4% of all births. Although only a small percentage of parents give birth to multiples, these parents are significantly more likely to have premature babies, experience mental health challenges, severe exhaustion, financial stress and medical complications. Despite this, there is not currently a sufficient amount of specific support in Australia that addresses the unique challenges that parents of multiples face. 

 

Parents of multiples need more financial and hands-on support. Every child, whether they are born a multiple or not, deserves the opportunity to thrive in those early years and beyond, and parents of multiples need the extra support to help do this. More babies should mean more support, simple!

 

For more information, please please refer to the Equality of Support for Parents of Multiples report.

 

Equality of Support for Parents of Multiples - Australian Multiple Birth Association Report October 2022.pdf

 

Through advocacy, education and community engagement, AMBA aims to increase positive health outcomes, awareness and equality for our families.

 

AMBA offers a number of resources and events to support both families and professionals. AMBA’s local clubs act as a peer support network for parents of multiples to share their lived experience.

 

For more, head to www.amba.org.au 

 

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Media Contact:

 

For further information or to organise an interview or photo opportunity, please contact:

 

Larissa Jordan (AMBA Chairperson and mum of 8 year old triplets)

larissa@amba.org.au

Silje Andersen-Cooke (AMBA Director and mum of 1 year old triplets) 

silje@amba.org.au