Working Life: Helping a baby to latch at the breast for the first time is a win for everyone

Lisa Carroll, clinical midwife specialist, lactation, Rotunda Hospital

Lisa Carroll, clinical midwife specialist, assists Tara Walsh during skin-to-skin contact with baby Roman. Picture: Moya Nolan

“I took up my current role as integrated community and hospital-based lactation clinical midwife specialist in January 2021 and helped co-ordinate two new services: the breastfeeding wrap-around service and the Rotunda outreach lactation service.

“The outreach service established a cross-site collaboration within the multidisciplinary teams in the Rotunda and Mater hospitals in support of women with complex medical conditions to offer colostrum to their infants in the neonatal ICU. These babies are often pre-term and require their mother’s colostrum not only for nourishment but as a medical intervention.

“My role involves meeting women prior to delivery in the Mater critical care unit, ICU, or within hours of delivery. It’s important to commence hand expressing within the first hour or as soon as possible after delivery to promote good supply. Women are given a quick reference guide, a breast pump, and ongoing support. Both Mater and Beaumont hospitals have breast pumps for use if breastfeeding mothers are admitted.

“The wrap-around service supports women who may have had, or may be at high risk for, breastfeeding challenges. We meet in the ante-natal period, usually around 37 weeks’ gestation, identify risk factors, and develop a care plan that may include antenatal harvesting of colostrum. Support is offered on the wards after delivery and at home if needed.

“I see women in many environments: Other hospitals, their homes, and I even did a home visit on a boat.

“I’m fortunate to work with a magnificent team: Marina Cullen and Geraldine Gordon. Breastfeeding support is a passion that just happens to be our job. We’re incredibly busy in the Rotunda, offering breastfeeding support on the wards, educating and training staff, giving breastfeeding classes, writing guidelines, giving talks at conferences, and liaising with infant feeding lactation specialists.

“There are so many outstanding memories in this job. On the simplest level, helping a baby to latch at the breast who has not latched before and seeing the utter joy on their parent’s face — that’s a win for everyone.

“I’ve five children, two boys and three girls. I had my first at 23 and my last at 47. Thankfully, I’ve seen huge improvements in breastfeeding advice, information, and support over the years.”

• The theme of this year’s national breastfeeding week (October 1 to 7) is ‘Every step forward: Strengthening support for babies and families’. Women can access supports on the HSE’s mychild.ie website. For Rotunda postnatal hubs support, email [e-mail] or [e-mail].