The Tamworth branch of the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) gathered earlier this month for a morning tea to coincide with national mothering day.

As the name suggests, the ABA is focused on supporting, educating and advocating on behalf of mothers who breastfeed their babies.

But local co-group leader Alex Smith said the meetings were as much about providing “mum-to-mum support” for both breastfeeders and non-breastfeeders.

“The ABA is there to support all mums,” she said.

“That’s the nice thing about the ABA ... it’s not up to us to judge mums.

“I’m one of those mums who can’t exclusively breastfeed, so I mix-feed and have done for both my children.”

Ms Smith, who is mum to four-year-old Gwen and 11-week-old Freddie, said about 94 per cent of mothers started breastfeeding their newborns.

However, she said breastfeeding rates tended to drop away quite dramatically after about six months.

“We certainly saw a big downturn in rates of breastfeeding rates in the 1970s and 1980s and there’s been a resurgence, I suppose,” she said.

“But we’re not seeing a very high rate of continuation. It’s a really complex issue, but part of it is mums don’t have accurate, up-to-date, professional support needed to continue breastfeeding.”

Ms Smith said mothers should not feel stressed, shy or embarrassed to breastfeed babies in public, as it was “every mother’s legal right” to feed their child as required.

“I suppose it’s up to each mother individually to decide to what degree they’re comfortable and we’re there to empower mums to feel like they can breastfeed their babies,” she said.