Personal profile
Biography
I am a midwife registered with Ahpra. I have a clinical background that includes postnatal care and breastfeeding / infant feeding support. I commenced working at the University of Canberra in 2012. I fulfilled many academic and leadership roles, convening and teaching into various Midwifery units, Program Director for the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health, Midwifery Discipline Lead, Bachelor of Midwifery course convenor, Master of Midwifery Practice course convenor. I transitioned to an Adjunct Associate Professor role in 2025. I continue to support the Midwifery discipline and contribute to the supervision of higher degree research students. I have been a practitioner member of the ACT Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the National Midwifery Notifications and Regulations Committee. I am a member of the Editorial Board of the International Breastfeeding Journal.
My Doctoral study examined the impact of the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) in the Australian setting and provided recommendations which informed national public health policy direction. I am also an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and accredited BFHI assessor.
I belong to the Faculty of Health's Area of Research - "Brighter Beginnings' which examines the health and wellbeing of women and babies in the first 1000 days, particularly for those women who experience Gestational Diabetes. I am currently working with midwifery and other colleagues across Australia and internationally on several projects: scaling up the BFHI in Australia (MRF 2031430), examining treatable traits for asthma management during pregnancy (MRF 2031487), examining the healthcare and breastfeeding experiences of women with Gestational Diabetes in the ACT and Southern NSW, protecting young infants from pertussis.
Areas of Teaching and Research
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Postnatal issues for women and babies and early parenting
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Breastfeeding and infant feeding
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The Baby Friendly Health Initiative
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Student support and the learning experience
I can be contacted by email: [email protected]
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, The Baby Friendly Health Initiative in Australia: a case study of the uptake and development of a global programme into a national setting , University of Technology Sydney
Award Date: 19 Jul 2018
Master, Master of Education & Work, Macquarie University
Award Date: 11 Sept 2002
Bachelor, Bachelor of Nursing, University of Technology Sydney
Award Date: 7 Mar 1997
External positions
Practitioner member , ACT Nursing and Midwifery Board
10 Jan 2019 → 30 Jun 2025
Chairperson Baby Friendly Health Initiative Advisory Committee, Australian College of Midwives
2 Feb 2011 → 30 Jun 2019
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Treatable Traits for Asthma Management During Pregnancy
BARNWELL, M. (CI), Murphy, V. (CoI), Peek, M. (CoI), Robijn, A. (CoI), Pennell, C. (CoI), Barrett , H. (CoI), Seeho, S. (CoI), Fotheringham, P. (CoI), Harvey, S. (CoI) & Samuel, S. (CoI)
1/03/24 → 28/02/29
Project: Research
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Project: Let’s have a yarn about the whooping cough vaccine
BUSHELL, M. (CI), Bowman, R. (CoI), DAVIS, D. (CoI), Hooper, M.-E. (CoI), Rose-Cutter, J. (CoI), Little, N. (CoI), JOJO, N. (CoI), BARNWELL, M. (CoI), Blackburn, J. (CoI) & Bazargan, M. (CoI)
13/06/24 → 30/06/25
Project: Research
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Promoting Workplace Culture
MUGGLETON, S. (CI), DAVIS, D. (CoI), BARNWELL, M. (CoI) & Perkins, H. (CoI)
23/07/18 → 30/06/19
Project: Research
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‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Alliu, H., Boon, M. Y., Atchan, M., Jojo, N., Hooper, M. E., Bazargan, M., Agarwal, C. K., Irwin, N. & Davis, D., Feb 2026, In: Women and Birth. 39, 1, p. 1-9 9 p., 102147.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Assisted Infant Toilet Training and Bladder and Bowel Health: A Global Integrative Review
Hindmarsh, C., Davis, D. & Atchan, M., 2025, In: Maternal and Child Health Journal. p. 1-13 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)81 Downloads (Pure) -
Development of a Smartphone App for Women Living With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Qualitative Study
Knight-Agarwal, C., Bushell, M., Hooper, M.-E., JoJo, N., Atchan, M., Shield, A., Douglas, A., Saleh, A., Mohammadian, M., Khan, I., Chan, C., Rovira Iturrieta, N., Murphy, E., Arza, T. & Davis, D., 11 Aug 2025, In: JMIR DIabetes. 10, p. 1-11 11 p., e65328.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
A systematic review of the barriers and facilitators to vaccination uptake in people from CALD communities in Australia
Hooper, M.-E., Davis, D., Blackburn, J., Thomas, N., Bowman, R., Barnwell, M., Turner, M. R., Ladbrook, E., Bazargan, M. & Bushell, M., 26 Apr 2024, In: Centre of Systematic Reviews. PROSPERO. p. 1-6 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Other Journal Article › peer-review
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Promoting breastfeeding in women with gestational diabetes mellitus in high-income settings: an integrative review
Otter, G., Davis, D., Kurz, E., Hooper, M. E., Shield, A., Samarawickrema, I., Spiller, S. & Atchan, M., 18 Jan 2024, In: International Breastfeeding Journal. 19, 1, p. 1-21 21 p., 4.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile15 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)56 Downloads (Pure)