National Breastfeeding Week: breastfeeding support groups return to communities

THE return of breastfeeding support groups to communities is being celebrated as part of this year’s National Breastfeeding Week.

For the past 18 months, breastfeeding groups and supports went virtual, as services adapted online.

However, the HSE marked the start of National Breastfeeding Week with the return of in-person breastfeeding groups, a number of which are located across South Dublin communities.

Local groups are in Ballyfermot, Rathfarnham, Rathcoole, Citywest, Clondalkin, Inchicore, Lucan, Walkinstown, Crumlin, and the primary care centres at Tallaght Cross and Kilnamanagh/Tymon.

HSE National Breastfeeding Coordinator, Laura McHugh said she’s delighted that mams and babies can once again attend these groups in person.

“Virtual meetings have become a common feature in our world and while they proved invaluable at a time when it was not possible to gather, we are so pleased that the strong communities forged online can now migrate into a real-world setting,” Ms McHugh said.

“A lot was learned through online service delivery and we’re looking forward to further developing a hybrid model of in-person and online services to make breastfeeding supports as accessible as possible.”

Ms McHugh also highlighted a recent development in breastfeeding support services, following the Minster for Health’s announcement earlier this year of €1.58m for 24 additional lactation consultant posts.

“Lactation consultants have specialist breastfeeding expertise and can assist with breastfeeding challenges, facilitating mothers to continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish,” she said.

“With supports soon to be available in every public health nursing service, as well as additional resources being deployed to larger maternity hospitals, it’s very welcome news indeed.”

National Breastfeeding Week is a HSE-led event running each year between October 1 and 7.

For further information and breastfeeding tips visit www.mychild.ie.

To join the HSE parenting and breastfeeding community, follow the HSE mychild.ie Facebook page and HSE my child on Instagram.

A list of local breastfeeding groups can be found at hse.ie, where there are details of locations and contact numbers.

A list of local groups can be found on the HSE’s website HERE.