The HSE in the Waterford area is marking National Breastfeeding Week (1st to 7th of October).
“Feeding the future: Supporting breastfeeding through a pandemic and beyond” is the theme of this year’s National Breastfeeding Week. Giving children the best start in life by breastfeeding is the ultimate aim and the HSE is also pointing to research where it may bring even more benefits, with COVID-19 antibodies being found in the breast milk of vaccinated mothers.
This year’s HSE led National Breastfeeding Week follows on from a major development in breastfeeding support services earlier in 2021, where an allocation of €1.58 million for 24 additional Lactation Consultant posts was made available by the Dept. of Health.
Lactation Consultants have specialist breastfeeding expertise and can assist with breastfeeding challenges, facilitating mothers to continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish. In addition to such posts based at maternity hospitals like University Hospital Waterford, supports are also being further developed in community healthcare settings (including the public health nursing services provided by South East Community Healthcare in the Waterford area).
As part of National Breastfeeding Week, an exhibit has been installed at UHW based on photos sent in by recent mothers of their babies born there. Organised by recently appointed Lactation Consultant Claire Bulfin, inclusive of donated art works for the Maternity Dept.’s Expressing and Family Rooms, the exhibit was opened by Nicola O’ Rourke (recent mum to baby Rían) and addressed by Paula Curtin (Director of Midwifery, UHW).
The launch also featured senior staff nurses in the UHW Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Marie Claire Skehan and Eveleen Hearne, who spoke about the starter pack given to mums with all she needs (information and equipment) to get the process of hand expressing started.
Speaking about the exhibit at UHW, Lactation Consultant Claire Bulfin said:
“The pandemic was a very difficult time for pregnant mothers and of course for new mothers. It is may be in years to come that we'll become aware of the ‘untold stories' of many such women during the pandemic. This exhibit is an acknowledgement, a contribution in that respect.”
“Some 62% of women breastfeed their new babies in Ireland and it's actually closer to 68% in terms of babies born in UHW. The HSE, here in UHW and surrounding areas through South East Community Healthcare and working with others in the community (including breastfeeding groups and the library service) are highlighting the importance of breastfeeding, encouraging it and providing and developing resources in its regard.”
“As pointers, I would draw attention to:
· For more information and helpful breastfeeding tips and tricks, visit https://www2.hse.ie/my-child/
· To join the HSE parenting and breastfeeding community, see the HSE mychild.ie Facebook page and hse_mychild on Instagram.
· For a list of local breastfeeding groups, see https://www2.hse.ie/services/breastfeeding-support-search/?county=Waterford
· To access the HSE’s free online ‘Ask Our Breastfeeding Expert’ service, available from Monday to Friday, 10am-3pm, see https://www2.hse.ie/services/ask-our-breastfeeding-expert/
Pictured (left to right) at the launch of an exhibition of submitted photos of UHW born babies as part of National Breastfeeding Week at the Maternity Dept., University Hospital Waterford were: Paula Curtin (Director of Midwifery, UHW), Claire Bulfin (Lactation Consultant, UHW), Nicola O’ Rourke (recent mum to baby Rían) and senior staff nurses in the UHW Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Marie Claire Skehan and Eveleen Hearne.
