Happy World Breastfeeding Week

Our first brelfie!

I've always had great experiences nursing in public and conversing about it, even now that my son is almost two years old, but it is still glaringly obvious how low the numbers of Irish breast fed babies are, particularly beyond the first few weeks of age. Instead of placing the blame on the mother, it is important to acknowledge where the problem begins, and that is in the lack of education and awareness about the realities of breastfeeding. 

When I was pregnant, a question I was often asked was if I was going to breastfeed. When I said yes, almost everybody told me a negative story, whether it was about their own experience or of someone they knew. That breastfeeding was extremely painful was the most common complaint but the other common denominator was that none of the mothers were prepared before the birth, but had "hoped" to breastfeed. Of course, when your baby is unsettled and seems to be at the breast constantly, if you don't know that this is normal infant behaviour, who could blame a mother for availing of the free bottles of formula that are handed around without question in the maternity ward? After all, she has probably been misinformed that she does not have enough milk.

I think we can all agree that feeding the baby is probably top priority when it comes to the list of jobs that comes with caring for a newborn. I suggest that on your first maternity visit to the doctors, a straightforward fact sheet about breastfeeding should be given to every mother-to-be. This fact sheet should highlight the mechanics of breastfeeding (supply and demand, correct positioning and latching), realities of breastfeeding (cluster feeding, frequent feeds, length of feeds) and the benefits of breastfeeding (reduced infection/allergies/obesity/SIDS in infants, reduced breast and overian cancer/post natal depression in mothers and it also helps your uterus return to normal size more quickly). 

Currently most references made to breastfeeding in the media are either to preface a baby formula advert or some hysterical story about a mother who nurses an older child. It's time to start treating breastfeeding as a basic, essential part of a child's life rather than as a lifestyle choice.