Vic court bid over baby's breastfeeding

A Victorian mother with a history of substance abuse is fighting for 24-hour access to her newborn baby so she can breastfeed the bub.

The baby was placed with a relative shortly after birth.

The mother continued to have full access to the infant until Thursday, when a court issued a temporary order saying the baby would stay with a different family member.

Under the new arrangement, which will be reviewed on Monday, the mother can see the baby during the day, but not at night.

She and the child's father urgently appealed the decision on Friday.

A lawyer for the father said the parents could live together at the father's home and share care of the newborn.

That would enable the mother to breastfeed the child at any time, which was important for bonding as well as nutrition, he said.

"A newborn child feeds through the night and it's a significant period of time the child is not with the mother," the lawyer said of the current arrangement.

The father, who has other children, had set up his home with all the necessary items for the baby, the court heard.

The mother's lawyer said it was a fundamental right for the parents and child to form a unit, and the father's presence would remedy any risk to the infant.

But a lawyer for the Department of Human Services fought for the baby to stay at the relative's house until the couple's parenting abilities had been assessed.

The court heard the mother had other children in DHS care.

She had been clean for more than a year, and returned negative drug tests since the baby's birth, but had a history of substance abuse and mental health issues, the court was told.

The department's lawyer also raised concerns about the baby's father, saying he previously had issues with alcohol and family violence.

A judge dismissed the couple's bid to change arrangements, and said they could wait the weekend for the order to be reviewed.

"All we're talking about here is the period of time between now and Monday," he said.