Dawn Whitten [BNat (Hons), FNHAA, IBCLC] is a clinician, educator and researcher. She is passionate about protecting and nurturing the microbiome of the next generation and has a broad-base of clinical experience with a focus in women’s health through pregnancy and beyond, and infant and toddler health. She has worked with Dr Jason Hawrelak in clinical practice and research collaboration for the last 15+ years. She also helped to set up the internship program at Goulds Natural Medicine and regularly mentors in her areas of expertise.

For 10 years she coordinated two units within the Evidence-Based Complementary Medicine Program in the College of Health & Medicine at the University of Tasmania (Hobart, Australia.

Dawn has a particular passion for improving practitioner knowledge in the area of lactation, maternal and infant health. She regularly presents at both National and International Conferences and Online Events.

Through the Health Masters Live independent professional education platform she has presented webinars on: The Infant Microbiome (2019), The Fourth Trimester 2018, The Breastmilk Microbiome and Glycobiome (2017); Breastfeeding (a three part course 2017); Infantile Colic, GORD and Lactose Intolerance (within the Gastrointestinal II Master Class 2015); and Paediatric Allergies (Within the Paediatrics Master Class 2014). She was invited to contribute two webinars to the International Better Baby Summit in 2014 – Breastfeeding – Finding Your Way and Pacing Introduction of Solids for Health.

Dawn regularly publishes papers in the peer-reviewed literature and has contributed to clinical textbooks (see a list of some of her publications below). She coordinates two units within the Evidence-based Complementary Medicine Program in the College of Health & Medicine at the University of Tasmania (Hobart, Australia). She also coordinates her clinic’s internship program and regularly mentors in her areas of expertise.

Dawn has an interest in herbal medicine safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding. She has been a research assistant in this area at Southern Cross University and has peer-reviewed in this area for the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

Dawn obtained a Bachelor of Naturopathy with First Class Honours from Southern Cross University, NSW Australia. Her Honours topic was within the field of herb-drug interactions. She is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

Publications:

​Whitten D, Chapter 14 Breastfeeding, Advanced Clinical Naturopathic
Medicine, Ed Leah Hechtmann, Elsevier Sydney, 2020.

​McIntosh T, Whitten D, Padarin H. Chapter 15 Infancy, Advanced Clinical Naturopathic Medicine, Leah Hechtmann (ed). Elsevier Sydney, 2020.

Hawrelak J, Wohlmuth H, Pattison M, Myers S, Goldenburg J, Harnett J, Cooley K, Van De Venter C, Reid R. and Whitten D. Western herbal medicines in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2020;48:102233. doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102233.

​Whitten D. and Hawrelak J. Are maternally administered probiotic strains transferred to breastmilk: a systematic review of Human Studies. Advances in Integrative Medicine, 2019;6, S85. doi: 10.1016/j.aimed.2019.03.242.

Whitten D. and Hawrelak J. Are maternally administered probiotic strains transferred to breast milk: A systematic review of human studies. Abstracts from the 19th International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation Conference. Breastfeeding Medicine, 2018;13(7).

​Avila C, Whitten D and Evans S. The Safety of St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) in pregnancy and lactation: A systematic review of rodent studies. Phytotherapy Research, 2018;32(8):1488-1500. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6099.

​Walton R, Whitten DL, Hawrelak JA. The efficacy of Hibiscus sabdariffa (rosella) in essential hypertension: A systematic review of clinical trials. Australian Journal of Herbal Medicine. 2016;28(2)48-51. 

​Whitten, D. A precious opportunity: Supporting women with concerns about their breastmilk supply [online]. Australian Journal of Herbal Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 3, 2013: 112-126.

Dwyer A, Whitten DL, Hawrelak JA. Herbal medicines, other than St John’s wort, in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression: A systematic review. Alternative Medicine Review. 2011;16:40-49. PMID: 21438645

Whitten DL, Myers SP, Hawrelak JA, Wohlmuth H. The effect of St John’s wort extracts on CYP3A: a systematic review of prospective clinical trials. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2006;62:512-526. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2006.02755.x

Hawrelak JA, Whitten DL, Myers SP. Is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG effective in preventing the onset of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea: a systematic review. Digestion. 2005; 72:51-56. doi: 10.1159/000087637

Whitten, D and Gooden, JS. Cardiovascular drugs: a guide for naturopaths [online]. Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism, Vol. 14, No. 2, 2002: 40-51, 53-5.

Podcasts:

Whitten Dawn, The Infant Microbiome. Love and Guts. 2020 http://www.lyndagriparic.com/dawn-whitten-the-infant-microbiome/

Whitten Dawn, Breastmilk & The Breastmilk Microbiome. Love and Guts. 2018 http://www.lyndagriparic.com/breast-milk-the-breast-milk-microbiome-dawn-whitten/

Whitten Dawn, When to Introduce Solid Foods & Building a Robust Baby. Love and Guts. 2019 http://www.lyndagriparic.com/when-to-introduce-solid-food-building-a-robust-baby-dawn-whitten/

Whitten Dawn. EpO16 – The Breastmilk Microbiome. Annie Breen Nutritional Therapist Podcasts 2019 https://anniebreennutrition.co.uk/podcasts/

Blog Posts:

Whitten D (April 2019) Probiotic Supplements and The Breastfeeding Infant – Why Not [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.probioticadvisor.com/probiotic-supplements-and-the-breastfeeding-infant-why-not/#.XWx7ZEdS

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Recent Academic Presentations:

​​The Infant Microbiome Australian College of Nutrition and Environmental Medicine (Sydney, 2019)

Unpacking Infant Colic and GORD Australian College of Nutrition and Environmental Medicine (Sydney, 2019)

The Breastmilk Microbiome and Glycobiome NHAA11th International Conference (Melbourne, 2019)

Herbal Galactagogues New Zealand Association Medical Herbalists Conference (Christchurch, 2019)

Infantile Colic and GORD Gastrointestinal Masterclass II revised, Health Masters Live (2019)

The Infant Microbiome Microbiome Masterclass, Health Masters Live (2019)

The Fourth Trimester. Pregnancy Masterclass Health Masters Live (Nov 2018)

Blood in the stool of a thriving breastfed infant Australian Naturopathic Summit, (Aug 2018)

Breastmilk Microbiome and Glycobiome MINDD Forum (May 2018)

​​Breastfeeding 3 Part Short Course for Naturopaths. Health Masters Live (Nov 2017) https://www.healthmasterslive.com/product/breastfeeding/

The Breastmilk Microbiome and Glycobiome. Health Masters Live (June 2017) https://www.healthmasterslive.com/product/breast-microbiome-glycobiome/

The Unsoothable Infant – GORD an Unhelpful Diagnosis 10th International Conference on Herbal Medicine (Brisbane, March 2017)

Treating Through the Mother – Prescription Considerations for Young Infants 10th International Conference on Herbal Medicine (Brisbane, March 2017)

Infantile Colic and GORD. Gastrointestinal Masterclass II, Health Masters Live (December 2015)

Breastfeeding: Finding Your Way. Building Better Babies Summit (December 2014) http://buildingbetterbabies.com/

Pacing Solids For Health. Building Better Babies Summit (December 2014) http://buildingbetterbabies.com/

Allergy. Natural Paediatrics Masterclass Series, Health Masters Live (May 2014)

Lactational Mastitis. 8th International Conference on Herbal Medicine (Melbourne, April 2013)

Galactagogues. 7th International Conference on Herbal Medicine (Gold Coast, July 2010)