‘They were lifesavers’: Mums tell us how Cork support group is helping families thrive 

When my three-month-old daughter was slow to gain weight, the public health nurse referred me to a new HSE breastfeeding group in Midleton.

I went along, and for the next few months, it became my weekly lifeline. The advice from the lactation consultants and the support of the other mums helped me overcome this hurdle and my daughter began to thrive.

Three years on, the group is still going strong. It is run by Vicky Fitzgerald, a public health nurse and lactation consultant, and Angela Murphy, a registered nurse, midwife, and lactation consultant. They founded the group after identifying a need for more breastfeeding support services in Cork.

“We felt there was a gap in services and peer support for mums after having babies, and we wanted to help increase the breastfeeding rates in the area,” says Vicky.

Every week, they provide a free drop-in service where mothers can weigh their babies, ask questions, get help with feeding issues, and connect with other mums over tea and coffee.

When I visit on a Wednesday morning, the group is in full swing. The nurses are busy weighing babies and offering practical tips, while clusters of mums are happily chatting and feeding their babies over cups of tea.

“We started off with around five [mums] initially about three years ago, and numbers have increased to about 30,” says Angela.

There are a couple of dads at the group too, something that is very much encouraged.

“We want to normalise breastfeeding for mums, dads, grannies, granddads, siblings - anyone who wants to come in,” says Angela.

The group supports women from pregnancy throughout their breastfeeding journey.

“We welcome antenatal mothers if they’re thinking about breastfeeding, mums in the early days when they might need support… and mums then who just come maybe for the social contact, to meet other like-minded mums breastfeeding,” says Vicky.

Mum of two, Victoria Firpo, first came to the group two years ago when her daughter was born, and is now back with her five-month-old son Tomás. Originally from Argentina, the social connection has meant a lot to Victoria. “Being from abroad and not having family around, it was a big support sharing with other mothers, especially the ones that had the same kind of issues.”

Like me, Victoria was initially referred to the group by her public health nurse to help boost her daughter’s weight gain. “They were lifesavers, from helping with the latch, tracking the weight, and also the support from other moms.”

The group soon became more than just a practical support.

“At the beginning, it was just to check on weight, and it’s become a social thing. You want to get out of the house and get a little bit of a chat and relax. There’s a lovely atmosphere, very welcoming.”

Victoria has found the group helpful for picking up issues in between developmental checks. When she had a drop in milk supply after a holiday, the lactation consultants took action quickly.

“Straight away, they supported me to tackle it. They lent me a double pump, so we’re bringing the supply back without having to go to formula again,” she says. “Otherwise you wouldn’t realise… you have a check at three months, and then the following is at nine months.”

Angela and Vicky say this ongoing support is important for prolonging the breastfeeding journey.

“We offer weight checks and support in between developmental checks, if there’s any faltering growth or anything. Sometimes, issues aren’t necessarily always in the first few weeks, there might be an issue at three or four months, or when the baby starts solids,” explained Vicky.

The group invites guests to give talks on subjects such as mental health, sleep, and baby care.

“We have speakers that come in on a regular basis, so we might have a physiotherapist one week, we might have a dentist another week,” she added.

First-time mum Germana Alenca values the information she learns from the speakers. “They have talks here every other week or two, which is also really good… they had a dermatologist for kids, and we got to ask some questions… it was great.”

Germana is just three weeks into her breastfeeding journey with her daughter Serena, but already she is feeling the benefit of the weekly check-ins.

Born premature, Serena needed to be supplemented by bottle initially because she didn’t have enough strength to feed fully from the breast. “When I had the bottle, I could see how much she was drinking…but with the breast, it’s very difficult to know how much she is eating,” says Germana. “Being able to come here and weigh her on the same scale every week and know how much weight she is gaining or losing… it gives me a bit of an anchor.”

Mum of three Amy Fogarty is attending the group for the second time. The peer support has helped her through challenging times.

“If things aren’t going well, you can feel quite down on yourself, and I found here is a great place to get support,” she says. “If you have a problem, it’s likely that someone has had that problem and is weeks ahead of you, so they’ve had a solution, and that gives you hope.”

After two difficult breastfeeding journeys, Amy is back at the group with baby Naoise, who is nine weeks old. “I trusted that Vicky and Angela weren’t going to steer me wrong, and they were going to be here if we had another challenging journey.”

Amy believes there is a lot of pressure on mums from social media, and appreciates the real-world connection offered by the group. “You’re so vulnerable postpartum, and you see all these people that are ‘bouncing back’ and breastfeeding so easily. I think just seeing the real people with the sleep deprivation and all those challenges is always going to be beneficial.”

A survey of mothers using the service showed a 100% satisfaction rate, with all agreeing that they and their babies have benefited in terms of increased knowledge and support from the group.

Midleton is one of a number of groups in the North Lee area, and organisers have seen an increase in breastfeeding rates since establishing the support groups.

“In Cork, and in North Lee specifically, the rates of breastfeeding and prolonged breastfeeding are increasing,” says Vicky.

The group is taking pressure off the hospital and primary care services, allowing them to focus on more complex cases. “The Cork University Maternity Hospital lactation consultant used to have a lot of Cork mothers, and when these groups were set up the decline was huge,” says Angela.

“We take referrals from GPs and public health nurses, but it’s also drop-in for mums to self-refer and just arrive… we are here every Wednesday,” says Vicky.

“Even if you just want to just come into a safe place, sit down, talk to nobody, just come in and have a cup of tea - perfect. Whatever meets your needs.”

For National Breastfeeding Week, the group is hosting a range of events including yoga, a buggy walk, coffee morning, and expert talks on mental health and lactation support.

For any new mums hoping to breastfeed, the advice is to go along to your nearest group, which you can find on the HSE website.

“Even if you’re just thinking about breastfeeding, come to the group and meet the other moms, meet us. We can give you lots of advice and education and information,” says Angela

• The HSE Midleton Breastfeeding Group meets every Wednesday in Midleton GAA Club 9.15-11am.
• HSE National Breastfeeding Week takes place from October 1 to 7.