Advocacy group calls for more consultants to boost breastfeeding levels

Breastfeeding consultant Sue Jameson said a common theme from their research is that mothers often feel they get no help with breastfeeding, especially with their second babies. Picture: Paul Sharp

More midwives and lactation consultants are urgently needed to help Ireland’s breastfeeding rate move upwards at a faster rate, a leading advocacy group has said.

Last year, 61.9% of babies were being breastfed just after leaving hospitals — up from 60.3% the year before.

Public health nurses also recorded 44% of babies breastfed at three months old. This a rise from 42% in 2023.

Sue Jameson, a lactation consultant and volunteer with the breastfeeding advocacy group Cuidiú, has worked in the area for 35 years.

She said a common theme from their research is that mothers often feel they get no help with breastfeeding, especially with their second babies. The mothers put this down to midwives not having enough time to help.

“They singled out wonderful people, they meant the student midwives who are all gung-ho for breastfeeding, absolutely enthusiastic,” said Ms Jameson.

“The students might have admitted lack of knowledge, but they stayed to help because they had the time.”

She pointed out that midwives are also caring for women at all stages of pregnancy, including after having a cesarean section.

“Staff numbers definitely had a big role here,” said Ms Jameson.

“Women felt the tier of support that was missing was lactation consultants who didn’t have another job to distract them.”

Health insurance

Women can often access private lactation advice using their health insurance.

However, she argued women should not have to pay, saying: “There should be a greater element of choice in public care.”

The pressures are more noticeable this month every year, she said.

“We have all the Christmas and New Year conceptions born now, so last week and this week are the peak birth weeks.”

In the 1980s, breastfeeding had almost disappeared here. She welcomed having almost half of babies breastfeeding at three months as positive progress despite her frustrations.

She pointed to work done by the HSE’s Laura McHugh on the roll-out of lactation consultant jobs.

“Every year we get a few more posts, so we are going in the right direction — but it’s just so slow,” she said.

“There are now greater supports for parents to help them to start breastfeeding and to continue for longer, which is contributing to an upward trend in rates.”

The HSE data shows more than half of the public health nurse areas, which saw increased breastfeeding rates, had hired new lactation consultants.

Over the last five years, it said, 35 posts were recruited with five more to be hired this year.