Community Healthcare Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo
Supports for mothers beginning breastfeeding and for those who wish to continue on their return to work and beyond are being highlighted ahead of HSE National Breastfeeding Week 2023, which begins on Sunday, October 1st.
This year’s theme is ‘Making our communities and workplaces more breastfeeding friendly’. It aims to highlight local supports for parents and the recent expansion in the law of breastfeeding breaks during work hours up until to a child’s second birthday. Parents can get tips on continuing breastfeeding and going back to work and chat with a breastfeeding expert on mychild.ie
Recent initiatives to help support breastfeeding include:
- 35.5 new lactation and infant feeding posts recruited in the last 3 years. There are now 57 lactation and infant feeding staff members nationwide to provide specialist support in all maternity and public health nursing services. This represents a doubling of lactation consultant posts employed in the HSE since 2021.
- In July, the government extended the entitlement to breastfeeding breaks in the workplace from the previous period of six months up to two years.
The number of babies being breastfed is continuing to grow. New HSE figures for 2022 show that 62% of babies were breastfed when the public health nurse made their first visit after birth. The figure was 59% in 2021. In 2017, it was 55% and has been rising since then.
A number of events will be held in Cavan Monaghan to mark the week.
Mairead McCahill HSE Lactation Consultant Cavan Monaghan said “This year, the Cavan and Monaghan Hospital and Community Lactation Consultant teams have joined up to celebrate National Breast Feeding week alongside the 6 HSE led breastfeeding support groups in the two counties.
They are having a big coffee morning to celebrate all the support and positivity that abounds within the groups. There will also be a guest speaker, Rebecca Scott-Pillai, who is an IBCLC and a Holistic Sleep coach.
This year was an especially special year for the Virginia Breastfeeding Group when it won the Friends of Breastfeeding national award for Breastfeeding Group of the Year 2023.
The theme of National Breastfeeding Week 2023 is: "Making our communities and workplaces more breastfeeding friendly" and these groups help to normalise breastfeeding whilst supporting mothers through peer support and providing the "village network" that is missing for some mothers as they are embarking on their mothering and breastfeeding journey.
The national, "We're Breastfeeding Friendly" Monaghan Initiative will also be launched during National Breastfeeding Week. This campaign reinforces the theme for National Breastfeeding Week 2023 by helping to help improve the health and well-being of breastfeeding mothers, babies, and their families by encouraging businesses, organizations and communities to become ‘Breastfeeding Friendly’
The coffee morning is funded through the Monaghan CYPSC Healthy Ireland fund and the guest speaker is funded through CNME NE”
Events in Cavan Monaghan include;
Events taking place in Cavan Monaghan;
Topic; Coffee morning for HSE led breastfeeding support groups/ breastfeeding mothers in Cavan & Monaghan
Guest speaker Rebecca Scott-Pillai, IBCLC, Holistic Sleep Coach on managing sleep whilst protecting breastfeeding.
Where; Errigal House Hotel, Cootehill, Co Cavan
When; Thursday 5th October 10am-12md
Contact; Mairead McCahill 049 4351010
Topic; We’re Breastfeeding Friendly Monaghan;
The aim of We're Breastfeeding Friendly Monaghan is to make County Monaghan a very welcoming place for all mothers who choose to breastfeed their children.
By signing up to We’re Breastfeeding Friendly, businesses, community, and statutory organisations throughout Monaghan, can show they welcome and support breastfeeding by some easy and zero-cost actions. If your building is open to the general public, you are eligible to join. Upon joining, you will receive an information booklet, a We’re Breastfeeding Friendly agreement, a poster, and window sticker for display, to ensure mothers know you are a breastfeeding friendly venue.
To sign up, please email Ciara at wbfmonaghan@gmail.com
Support for parents is also available on the HSE’s mychild.ie, including:
To join the HSE parenting and breastfeeding community, follow for expert tips, videos and updates on the HSE mychild.ie Facebook page and hse_mychild on Instagram #hsemychild #breastfeeding #breastfeedingweek
Last updated on: 29 / 09 / 2023
