The HSE has published the Breastfeeding Action Plan Progress Report (2016-2023) ahead of National Breastfeeding Week 2024. Breastfeeding protects babies against lots of illnesses and is designed to meet their every need.
In Cavan/ Monaghan there is supports and resources available for parents to protect and promote breastfeeding.
Seven HSE support groups are now accessible for parents in the Cavan and Monaghan regions providing a total of thirteen meetings each month. A Lactation Consultant leads each session.
Three HSE Lactation Specialists are now available in the Cavan/Monaghan area: Annemarie Rice and Aileen Doyle are in Cavan General Hospital and Mairead McCahill is in the Cavan/Monaghan community.
55% of mothers are breastfeeding on discharge from Cavan General Hospital and 33% of mothers are still breastfeeding 3 months later.
Laura McHugh, HSE National Breastfeeding Coordinator, said, “It’s great to see all that’s been achieved over the last few years. Despite challenges, we have seen increased supports for breastfeeding mothers in hospitals and the community as well as the upward trend of breastfeeding rates.”
This year the theme for National Breastfeeding Week is ‘Supporting you from Bump to Baby and Beyond.’ Mairead Mc Cahill, Public Health Nurse Lactation Specialist in Cavan and Monaghan, said “This aspiration is met through the wonderful breastfeeding support groups available in the Cavan & Monaghan areas.”
Expectant mothers are encouraged to attend the groups and, when they attend, they are embraced by the other mother's present who want to share their new-found knowledge in motherhood and breastfeeding to help ease the transition into motherhood for the expectant and recently delivered women. This fosters the “village” that is required to help women at this vulnerable stage in their lives and allows each person to make informed decisions and choices that best suits their needs.
Specialist breastfeeding support is also readily available to support all breastfeeding mothers to reach their feeding goals from any stage and this can be through one-to-one clinic consultations, support group scenarios or larger education groups. There is close collaboration between the hospital specialist lactation consultant team and the community Public Health Nurse Lactation Consultant service with prompt referral and follow-up of mothers and babies between the two services.
Everyone is welcome to make contact – details are readily available on the mychild.ie website: https://www2.hse.ie/my-child/
Skilled breastfeeding supports are available in all maternity units and hospitals, in local health services, and online where parents can ask breastfeeding experts questions at mychild.ie. Since 2015 almost 22,000 questions have been answered online by HSE experts. Common questions include
- is baby getting enough?
- how to settle baby?
- how to treat sore nipples?
- how best to express and store milk?
- can I take certain medication while breastfeeding?
Last updated on: 24 / 09 / 2024
