Working Life: 'It’s busy, but I love the job'

Mairead O’Sullivan, infant feeding coordinator /lactation support, University Hospital Kerry

Mairead O’Sullivan, infant feeding coordinator /lactation support, University Hospital Kerry.

6am

Wake up time. Breakfasts and lunches are prepared for my four children before I head out the door. My husband leaves for work at 6.30am so I’m lucky that my mother comes to bring the smaller three to school. I have a 30-minute commute to work in Tralee and my eldest travels to school with me. I generally work four days a week.

8am

On arrival, I check on messages and referrals, while reviewing notes on patients seen on the previous shift. My office is on the Postnatal Ward (PNW) so I check in with the shift leader there and the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) for any additional referrals, working out a planned schedule to review women and babies.

10am

I facilitate a post-natal infant feeding class for those due to be discharged, helping mothers with any breastfeeding concerns and advising them how to contact me after discharge. I then review patients on the wards.

1pm

At lunchtime, I provide a 15-minute workshop with colleagues, covering hand expression, colostrum harvesting, safe skin to skin, and attachment and electric breast pumps/milk storage.

2pm

After a quick bite to eat, I book moms into their appropriate online antenatal breastfeeding class, emailing links and additional information. I facilitate these classes twice a month.

4pm

I’m chair of our infant feeding committee where we have a multi-disciplinary influence. These meetings are held regularly and current items on the agenda include maternity plans for National Breastfeeding Week.

5.30pm

After supper break, I have an antenatal breastfeeding preparation class with 18 attendees booked in. Although facilitating these groups online has taken some readjusting, service user feedback is extremely positive.

8.30pm

I finish work after class feeling hugely satisfied. It’s been a busy day, but I love the job. By the time I’m home, my two younger kids are in bed and the older two will be going shortly, so I catch up on the day with them and my husband before heading to bed myself around 10.30pm.

• National Breastfeeding Week is a HSE-led event, marked each year from October 1-7. This year’s theme is Feeding the Future: Supporting breastfeeding through a pandemic and beyond. For more information and helpful breastfeeding tips and tricks, visit mychild.ie