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Breastfeeding Support in Ireland - initial findings from a national study; 19/10/2022

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Breastfeeding Support in Ireland - initial findings from a national study

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Breastfeeding Support in Ireland - initial findings from a national study

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Bainne Beatha - Stories of Breastfeeding in Irish Maternity Hospitals

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Bainne Beatha interview with Evoke.ie

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A public call for suggestions on how to improve breastfeeding supports has triggered an extraordinary reaction among mothers.

First-time mum Deborah Byrne, a money advisor from Smithfield, was prompted to act when she saw Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin speak out about the impact that the loss of a lactation consultant in her area of Dublin South East would have.

Speaking to EVOKE at the time Aoibhinn said: 'In Ireland, we should have 100 full-time public lactation consultants and we only have three and now one of those is about to be cut. That shows you if it hadn't been a priority, it's actually being deprioritised even further now.'

Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu had also put out a call on Twitter asking women how breastfeeding support services could be improved.

Deborah had joined a local breastfeeding support group at her local primary centre where women shared their stories of trying to breastfeed in hospital and knew that something had to be done.

'My own experience I would describe as being mixed,' Deborah told EVOKE. 'There was definitely a will from the midwives and the nurses to want to help but they simply didn't have the time.

'You could be ringing the bell calling for help because your baby is crying then after a short visit they walk away but you're still not getting it. It's very distressing.

'I was also getting mixed advice from different nurses which took a lot of time to filter through. It can actually be overwhelming not to be able to feed your baby'.

Deborah says it took her almost two months to find her feet before she felt comfortable breastfeeding. 'If you got the support you needed at the start it would be much better because it took me seven weeks to get comfortable.

'I ended up getting mastitis and had to hire my own lactation consultant none of which would have been needed if the key support was there at an early stage'.

Deborah decided she would send out a simple survey asking mums about their breastfeeding experiences but she was overwhelmed by the response.

Almost 150 new mothers responded with their own sometimes harrowing testimonies about their experiences, and with the help of three other determined mums in Deborah's breastfeeding group, this information was compiled into a report.

Felicienne Rahill a mum of one, pictured with her niece and son above helped with the research for the report, Lucia Prihodova helped compile it, and Megan Etherton helped create the beautiful graphics for the project.

The report, titled Bainne Beatha, is to be sent to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly at the end of the month, along with an online petition calling for greater supports for breastfeeding in maternity hospitals which they are hoping to get more signatures for to really drive home that this is an issue that needs attention today, not tomorrow.

Lucia, 37, a researcher at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, helped Deborah compile the report because she had seen how things 'didn't go well' for her friends.

The first-time mum from Slovakia said more work needs to be done to reduce the stigma around breastfeeding in Ireland.

'I would love to see the staffing in Irish hospitals increase to the point where there are enough nurses there to help you tease out the problems because it is nerve-wracking when you start.

'In Slovakia and in my own family breastfeeding is the norm, but I know women here don't feel the same level of comfort breastfeeding in public.'

Both women insist the campaign is not to pass judgment on women who can't breastfeed or decide to bottle feed but to simply help those who want to breastfeed.

The report, compiled last summer before COVID restrictions were introduced, collated the testimonies of 145 women. It makes for stark reading with one in five saying they experienced a lack of support in the hospital which 'set them back significantly'.

Perhaps more worryingly one in four said they also lacked support in the crucial hours after giving birth. Over half, 57 per cent, of the women said they felt that hospital staff were generally pro-breastfeeding but did not have the time or resources to promote it.

The new mums also spoke about their personal experiences which makes for grim reading. One wrote: 'I was asked to keep it down, as I couldn't control my baby's screaming in the hospital, though I hadn't slept in days due to his feeding difficulties despite being
latched most of that time. When I was most in need of help, I was asked to keep it down.'

Another recalled: 'I had C-section and was offered little help with breastfeeding
despite asking for assistance and raising my concerns about how sore it was on numerous times. I asked for help and was either ignored or it felt like I was a burden on staff.'

A third woman said: 'I would be too afraid now after the last time to try to exclusively
breastfeed another child if I have one.'

A fourth woman said: 'They were focusing on her weight and were horrible about it. The LC wouldn't let me feed her once and made me pump so she could measure it and did this with the curtains open and the man opposite visiting his wife was looking. It was awful and so degrading.'

Deborah says their anecdotal evidence shows the Dublin Maternity Hospitals are not
yet fully compliant with the National Maternity Strategy 2016 - 2026 and the HSE Breastfeeding Action Plan 2016 - 2021, nor do they practice the WHO/Unicef breastfeeding
guidelines.

'I never intended my survey to become what it has but I feel a compulsion now to do something with those women's stories to make sure they get heard,' said Deborah.
If you would like to sign the petition calling for an improvement of breastfeeding services in Ireland or read more about this campaign or report, please see here.

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Four New Irish Mums Unite To Demand Greater Breastfeeding Supports

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A public call for suggestions on how to improve breastfeeding supports has triggered an extraordinary reaction among mothers. First-time mum Deborah Byrne, a money advisor from Smithfield, was prompted to act when she saw Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin speak out about the impact that the loss of a lactation consultant in her area of Dublin South East would have.

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Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain mentions Bainne Beatha report when discussing removal of breastfeeding community supports

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On Saturdays Show, Louise spoke about breastfeeding, Bling Empire, Pet Training, and, of course, our news roundup!

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Bainne Beatha - Lucia Prihodova & Baby Fiadh

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Bainne Beatha - Megan Etherton & Baby Robin

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Bainne Beatha - Deborah Byrne

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Video recording of Bainne Beatha's attendance at the Joint Health Committee on May 12th, 2021

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Video recording of Bainne Beatha's attendance at the Joint Health Committee on May 12th, 2021

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Online archive of videos of committee debates since the start of the current Dáil

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Irish Examiner article 'Call for overhaul of breastfeeding support in hospitals' 11th May 2021

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Irish Examiner article 'Call for overhaul of breastfeeding support in hospitals' 11th May 2021

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The Oireachtas Health Committee will hear calls for urgent reform of supports for breastfeeding tomorrow.

The latest HSE report on breastfeeding found an initiation rate of 63.8% in hospitals and said this is among the lowest in the world.

Campaign group Bainne Beatha, which means Milk of Life, was formed by Deborah Byrne, Lucia Prihodova and Megan Etherton.

They will present data showing the equivalent of 27.9 lactation consultants work in the country's 19 maternity hospitals. They will call for 110 based on international staffing benchmarks and increased midwifery recruitment.

Ms Byrne said midwives are also trained as lactation consultants but expecting them to do it all seems unrealistic with current staffing levels.

She said: "Anecdotally, stories suggest that midwives are excellent supports but they are just too busy."

A questionnaire they did early last year revealed support varies from hospital to hospital.

We are not anti-formula by any means, but it seems to be seen as a quick fix to breast-feeding challenges," Ms Byrne said.

Bainne Beatha will also call for an audit of the National Infant Feeding Policy for Maternity & Neonatal Services, and an update on the Breastfeeding Action Plan 2016 - 2021.

Meanwhile, concern continues around Covid-19 visiting restrictions at maternity hospitals for partners of pregnant women.

On Saturday, a petition signed by 60,000 people was published in the It called for a minimum standard of access, and better communication around the need for restrictions.

Two sets of protests are planned for this week at maternity hospitals nationally.

Advocacy group AIMS Ireland, who held a virtual protest last week, will protest at 12 hospitals in the coming days. A maximum of seven people were registered for each.

Chairperson Krysia Lynch said: "We had an unprecedented response to the virtual protest, and about 40% of the emails were from partners."

A new informal group called Irish Birth Movement, led by three midwives, will hold their first protest at Portlaoise Hospital tomorrow.

Brenda O'Toole said: "We cannot ignore the impact this is having on women, there is a lack of uniformity around this. It's not just your partner who is affected, it's about women's mental health."

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Call for overhaul of breastfeeding support in hospitals

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The Oireachtas Health Committee will hear calls for urgent reform of supports for breastfeeding tomorrow. The latest HSE report on breastfeeding found an initiation rate of 63.8% in hospitals and said this is among the lowest in the world. Campaign group Bainne Beatha, which means Milk of Life, was formed by Deborah Byrne, Lucia Prihodova and Megan Etherton.

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Bainne Beatha - Briefing Doc to Oireachtas Health Committee 12.5.21

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Bainne Beatha - Felicienne Rahill & Baby Orson

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Bainne Beatha - Joint Health Committee - 12th May 2021

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Letter to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly

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Letter to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly

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Letter to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly outlining the changes we believe are required in our health service to ensure those who wish to breastfeed have the supports in place to do so, reducing their trauma and improving their experience.

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Breastfeeding Parl Committee - draft letter to Minister for Health 11.5.23