One of the government's rising stars, Kelly O'Dwyer, has been advised to express more breast milk for her newborn baby to avoid her breastfeeding interfering with her duties in the parliamentary chamber.

The advice came from the office of the government's Chief Whip Scott Buchholz, who subsequently had to consult his Labor counterpart to find out how to better deal with a breastfeeding MP in accordance with the standing orders.

Under the standing orders - the set of rules which govern behaviour of MPs in the chamber - new mothers who are breastfeeding are given a proxy vote in the Parliament. This means their vote is counted even though they are not physically in the chamber.