Press release
Minister Hildegarde Naughton marks World Breastfeeding Week
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton has marked World Breastfeeding Week with a visit to a HSE-run breastfeeding support group.
The Minister met with new mothers and their babies at Clonakilty Breastfeeding Support Group, based in Clonakilty Primary Care Centre.
The group is facilitated by public health nurse and lactation consultant Sheila Lucey, one of 55 lactation consultants employed by the HSE.
The number of HSE lactation consultant posts has more than doubled since 2021 due to recurring funding of €1.58 million.
This expanded service is among several initiatives aimed at increasing Ireland’s breastfeeding rates in order to improve child and maternal health.
An updated infant feeding education programme for midwives and public health nurses is currently being piloted and will be rolled out nationally this year.
Minister Naughton said:
"As well as being a lovely bonding experience for mother and baby, breastfeeding offers babies excellent protection from infection and promotes healthy growth and development.
"We also know that prolonged breastfeeding can reduce the risk of ovarian and breast cancer.
"I’m very encouraged by the initiatives currently underway to improve Ireland’s breastfeeding rates, and the work being done now will have long-term positive health benefits for the population.
"I’m determined that we will continue to offer and expand appropriate supports for women who wish to breastfeed.
"The HSE’s National breastfeeding Implementation group will review progress under the current National Breastfeeding Action Plan 2016-2023 and I look forward to receiving feedback which will lay the foundations for further progress in this very important area."
Chief Medical Officer Professor Breda Smyth said:
"Improving Ireland’s breastfeeding rates is a priority for me in order to improve long term population health.
"We know that even small amounts of breastmilk, particularly in the first few days, is beneficial and helps to boost babies’ immune systems. It can also help post-partum recovery.
"I would encourage breastfeeding mothers to link in with the supports available to them, including HSE lactation consultants and the HSE’s online breastfeeding support service.
"I’d encourage any woman who is breastfeeding or preparing to breastfeed to use the excellent resources available on the HSE’s mychild.ie website."
According to the Irish Maternity Indicator Report 2021, Ireland’s breastfeeding rates are among the lowest in the world. Only 62.3% of babies are breastfed at birth as compared to 90% in Australia, 81% in the UK and 79% in the USA, and only 37% of babies are discharged from hospital being breastfed exclusively. By the time babies are three months old that number has dropped to 31.2%, one of the lowest in Europe.
Encouraging more mothers to breastfeed is a priority for both the Department of Health and the HSE. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, the National Maternity Strategy, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, and the National Cancer Strategy, emphasises the importance of supporting mothers who breastfeed, as well as taking action to increase breastfeeding rates in Ireland.
The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan 2016-2021 is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding parents in the HSE. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on delivery of some actions, the implementation of the plan has been extended until the end of 2023.
Since its publication, the HSE has established the National Breastfeeding Implementation Group who are partnering with the Department of Health and key divisions within the HSE to progress a range of actions.