Supports available for breastfeeding mothers
PUBLIC health nurses including lactation consultations in the Wexford area marked National Breastfeeding Week by organising a special promotion at the HSE Primary Care Centre in Grogan’s Road.
The nurses took time out from a busy schedule providing frontline services in the clinic and in home settings during the coronavirus pandemic, to distribute health promotion material on breastfeeding to colleagues in the community healthcare centre.
Among the information they highlighted is that the experience of mothers breastfeeding in hospital and the community is improving; hospital and community services are working to deliver more breastfeeding support to mothers, especially in recent months, including antenatal education classes online, virtual consultations and phone support as well as face-to-face consulations where needed; the fact that having a new baby is life-changing and breastfeeding is a skill that takes time and practice to master, and in the early days, skin-to-skin contact and keeping your baby close are important to help recognise the signals that they are hungry.
Wexford public health nurses want to let mothers know about the supports available on mychild.ie to help them to breastfeed for as long as they wish.
The mychild.ie site on www.hse.ie includes extensive breastfeeding information, videos and guides as well as the ‘Ask Our Breastfeeding Expert’ service as part of a wider pregnancy and child health information. A team of lactation consultants provide free personalised advice to users by email and live chat.
The ‘ Ask Our Breastfeeding Expert’ online service recorded a 57% increase in demand over recent months, as many parents of babies born during Covid-19 restrictions sought advice.
The most popular queries received by the service during this time included how to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant, how to restart breastfeeding after a break and issues around pain and breastfeeding.