Cork mum shares her breastfeeding journey and supports available

“Breastfeeding is not something I am accustomed to in my extended family,” says Caroline, “however, in my role as a HSE Public Health Nurse (PHN), I am very familiar with it and all the health benefits it carries. I had met mums in the community who inspired me by their positive breastfeeding experiences, so I decided to breastfeed during my pregnancy.

“As it came close to my due date, I contacted Sheila Lucey, a HSE lactation consultant in West Cork, for advice. Even though I am a PHN and have a lot of expertise, I still had some concerns and needed reassurance. How would I feel about being exposed? How would my family and siblings feel when I was breastfeeding in front of them? What if I couldn’t do it? Was it going to be overwhelming?

“Sheila reassured me and encouraged me to start with hand expression at 38 weeks gestation, well in advance of Ava’s arrival. The colostrum that I expressed was stored and when Ava arrived to a very exhausted mum, it consoled me that I had these syringes of colostrum to feed her the first day as I recovered.

“Ava didn’t latch on in the first 24 hours, which is common. My partner was very supportive from the get-go and brought those precious syringes in to hospital to set the wheels in motion. 

It boosted my confidence and those around me saw my commitment.

“Ava was a very placid baby and once we got going, she latched on easily. She slept for two hours at a time and was very predictable, feeding every two to three hours.

“Some days were difficult but I felt that having some knowledge was power, and knowing how to hand express during days three and four, to relieve engorgement, was a great help.

“On day six, I went to meet Sheila at her Clonakilty breastfeeding support group. I was a bit self-conscious about meeting the other mums but I felt totally welcome and at home there.

“The other mums had so much good advice to share and sometimes the questions that were asked there gave the most valuable information that I didn’t even realise I needed. For instance, one mum was asking how to manage feeding her baby when it had a cold and a blocked nose and, sure enough, a month later I was in the same boat and knew how to manage.

“At seven or eight weeks, I couldn’t seem to latch Ava on to my left breast. 

Sure enough, I was given the solution at the next breastfeeding group, I simply had to change her feeding position from cross cradle to a rugby hold.

“The other difficulty that I had was, at nine weeks, I developed very sore nipples and this lasted for 10 days every time I fed. I didn’t understand why as breastfeeding was well established at this point. Sure enough, Sheila’s Bantry breastfeeding group came to the rescue. Sheila explained that Ava was positioning herself too far forward onto the nipple and I just had to adjust her position every time. This relieved the pain immediately.

“I fed anywhere that Ava and I were. Obviously at home, but I have lovely memories of feeding Ava in the sunshine in my favourite coffee shops and restaurants all around West Cork. People were always so helpful along the way, offering a helping hand when they saw you needed it, right from young to old. Everyone was so kind.

“I think that the new legislation is very empowering for mothers who want to continue breastfeeding. I was planning to return to work and continue our breastfeeding journey, so I met with my line manager. She was very supportive about facilitating my breastfeeding plans and helped me to develop a plan that would integrate my one-hour of lactation leave into my schedule. I felt comforted to know that there was ample refrigeration on site for expressed milk and that a private room was available to me to express, if I required.

“If I was offering advice to anyone contemplating breastfeeding, I’d say: Learn how to hand express leading up to your due date. It is a hugely beneficial skill to be familiar with beforehand and made the journey much smoother, as challenges arose. It also helped with my mind-set.

“Also, find out where and when your local breastfeeding support groups are running. 

If there is a HSE lactation consultant in the area, avail of all their wisdom and knowledge. They are a super powerful resource.

“If you’re finding it hard to get out the door to a group, don’t be put off. It’s OK to arrive late, or only for the last few minutes. Don’t forget, you’ve a new baby to look after, so mobilising to get out and about takes time and everyone understands that.

“Finally, involve your partner in the journey. Their support and understanding is hugely beneficial to themselves, mum and baby. Don’t be afraid to ask for their help.”

Support for parents is available on the HSE’s mychild.ie, including:

• The Ask Our Expert, live chat and email breastfeeding support service, available 7 days a week
• Contact details for 180 HSE and HSE-funded volunteer breastfeeding organisations – search by county function
• Practical advice across a range of breastfeeding topics, e.g. feeding in the early days, how do I know if my baby is getting enough, and tips on breastfeeding and returning to work

Top tips from Sheila Lucey, HSE Breastfeeding Co-ordinator West Cork, Lactation Consultant and Public Health Nurse

Stats and facts

HSE National Breastfeeding Week runs from October 1-7, 2023

The theme for 2023 is ‘Making our communities and workplaces more breastfeeding friendly’.

In July, the government extended the entitlement to breastfeeding breaks in the workplace, from the previous period of six months, up to two years.

The number of babies being breastfed is continuing to grow. New HSE figures for 2022 show that 62% of babies were breastfed when the public health nurse made their first visit after birth. The figure was 59% in 2021. In 2017, it was 55% and has been rising since then.

The number of HSE lactation consultants has doubled nationally since 2021 - 35.5 new posts recruited in the last three years.

There are now 57 lactation and infant feeding staff members nationwide to provide specialist support

About the author

Michelle McNamara, Healthy Ireland Primary Care Lead HSE/Cork Kerry Community Healthcare