NICOLA O’BYRNE
LACTATION CONSULTANT
When she went back to work after her third child was born, Nicola O’Byrne knew she was in danger of burning out. “I was a neonatal nurse in the Coombe Maternity Hospital in Dublin — a very busy NICU with the sickest babies in the country. I loved my job but Health Service cutbacks were brutal — there were more babies and fewer nurses.” She wanted to find more flexible work in order to have time with her own children, but also dreamed of specialising in one particular area. “I had a fire inside me to help breastfeeding mothers and babies. I wanted to work in lactation professionally and being a private practice lactation consultant was the best option.”
When she first launched her business (breastfeedingsupport.ie) Nicola found it difficult to adjust. “It was very solitary — I was meeting families all day but had no ‘work’ colleagues. There were very few other private lactation consultants then, and no WhatsApp or Facebook groups. Magicmum was the big online forum — I received great support and enthusiasm there from the breastfeeding community.” She also had to learn the practical side of self-employment. “Deciding fees and knowing nothing about business was quite a steep learning curve to put it mildly. They don’t teach you that in nursing school!”
The internet has evolved considerably since Nicola started out, and the advent of Facebook and online groups is a huge help to those promoting small businesses and services. “In some ways social media is wonderful but it’s also scary,” Nicola says. “Nobody shows their true self on social media. When a mother is in dire difficulties breastfeeding she needs someone in front of her helping. But I love Facebook and Instagram — I really enjoy posting about my work and some family stuff, too. There are still a few trolls out there and I try to respond fairly when they offload.”
While self-employment can be very challenging, with nobody to fall back on when things go wrong, it can also be enormously fulfilling. “I’m responsible for my own outcomes. I try my best and I stay well informed about breastfeeding research. I still love learning. I set targets each quarter and really enjoy meeting them. I understand the political world of breastfeeding now which means I am very clear about ethics and my limitations around sponsorship.”
And of course the huge draw, and the reason she did it in the first place, is it allows her time with her five children. “I love the flexibility it gives, I can work around my kids’ schedules and I’m getting much better at time-planning.”
So for parents reading, would she recommend self-employment? “Yes, as a second income, it’s a wonderful way to work. If we didn’t have my husband’s steady income it would be very different, with much more pressure. To be honest, when I say work, that’s probably not true… my business is my sixth baby. It’s now at the 10-yearold stage — I hope that doesn’t mean I’m heading for teenage drama!”