Breastfeeding

Information

The benefits of breastfeeding for both you and your baby are enormous. Breast milk provides all the nutrients your baby needs for growth and development, it contains anti-bodies which can help your baby's immune system and it assists the emotional well-being of both mother and baby.

The Department of Health in Ireland has always promoted breastfeeding as the ideal for infants and young children. In 2002 a National Committee on Breastfeeding was established. Although there has been a small increase in breastfeeding rates since the national policy was first published in 1992, breastfeeding rates in Ireland remain among the lowest (at 2%) in Europe. In October 2005, in an attempt to highlight the health benefits of breastfeeding the Department of Health announced a five year Strategic Action Plan for Breastfeeding in Ireland (pdf). Among the initiatives contained in the Action Plan include:

• education on breastfeeding, for schoolchildren;
• regulating the marketing of breast milk substitutes;
• the introduction of at least ten regional breastfeeding coordinators;
• supports for mothers to breastfeed for longer;
• improved, flexible working conditions for breastfeeding

Practically all mothers can breastfeed but it does take dedication and commitment. You are more likely to succeed if you have support and all the information you need. You will need to balance the baby's demands for milk with your supply. This can take time, as does getting the feeding position right and feeling comfortable with it.

You may find the first couple of weeks of breastfeeding uncomfortable and very tiring, until your supply settles down and the baby learns how to feed well, but as you gain in confidence, you become more relaxed. By the time your baby is a couple of months old, you will be quite an expert. The Health Promotion Unit at the Department of Health also published useful guides on breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding and employment

Under Section 9 of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 certain women in employment who are breastfeeding are entitled to take time off work each day in order to breastfeed. The provision applies to all women in employment who have given birth within the previous 6 months. Employers are not obliged to provide facilities in the workplace to facilitate breastfeeding if the provision of such facilities would give rise to considerable costs. At the choice of her employer, the woman may therefore opt to:

• Breastfeed in the workplace or express breast milk, where facilities are provided in the workplace by the employer
• Have their working hours reduced (without loss of pay) to facilitate breastfeeding where facilities are not made available.

Women who are in employment and are breastfeeding are entitled to take 1 hour (with pay) off work each day as a breastfeeding break. This time may be taken as;

• One 60 minute break
• Two 30 minute breaks
• Three 20 minute breaks

You should note, that breaks may be longer and more frequent if agreed between the woman and her employer. Part-time workers are also entitled to breastfeeding breaks, calculated on a pro-rata basis.

The provision for women to breastfeed at work was brought into effect on the 18th October, 2004 through SI 654 of 2004 Maternity Protection (Protection of Mothers who are Breastfeeding) Regulations 2004.

The Health Promotion Unit have produced the following useful guide for employers, employees and co-workers entitled Combining Breastfeeding and Work (pdf).