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Our Number 1 recommendation: right here @thebreastway!
We’ve divided this support list into stages so you can easily find what you need.
Pregnancy: - Antenatal classes
- GP
- midwife
- local breastfeeding group.
1st 6 weeks: - Maternity Hospital/ lactation midwife (Hospital based)
- Public Health Nurse led clinic @ your local HSE health centre
- Local breastfeeding support group (HSE – check at your clinic)
- Voluntary breastfeeding groups – LLL/ Cuidiu
- Your GP/ Practice Nurse (2 free visits allowed before 6 weeks if in shared care)
- Private Lactation Consultant
After 6 weeks: - Public Health Nurse led clinic @ your local HSE health centre
- Local breastfeeding support group (HSE – check at your clinic)
- Voluntary breastfeeding groups – LLL/ Cuidiu
- Your GP/ Practice Nurse (2 free visits allowed before 6 weeks if in shared care)
- Private Lactation Consultant
In pregnancy:
Talk to your midwife/ GP/ antenatal class director about breastfeeding, and voice the fact that you wish to breastfeed. In our opinion you cant start to look for support early enough (well, pre conception might be a little early but good!)
Contact a local breastfeeding support group. You can attend a support group meeting while pregnant as talking to mothers currently breastfeeding can give you information on how to breastfeed your baby and will build your confidence. You can find contact details for support groups in your area on the HSE website.
Ask for breast feeding information leaflets at the maternity hospital, GP surgery and from your midwife, La Leche League or Cuidiú voluntary breastfeeding counsellor. You can also order HSE breastfeeding publications at www.healthinfo.ie
Early Days after your baby is born (1st 6 weeks)
Home/ Hospital midwives:Seek help from the midwives in the hospital or your home birth midwife.
Ask ask ask ask ask ask ask ask ask ask ask ask and ask again.! We cant emphasise this enough. Only a few lucky women have no trouble with breastfeeding from the start, most have a few little issue they need help with. But help may not seek you out.. so go forth and ring the bell, pick up the phone…
If you are at home you can ring your maternity hospital to speak to the midwife specialist in breastfeeding or the midwives in the postnatal ward where you were a patient. You can do this at any time during the first 6 weeks following the birth of your baby. If you are having problems you and your baby can also return to the hospital during this time and be seen by a midwife or doctor who will provide you with any breastfeeding help you may need.
Public Health Nurse/ ClinicYou can contact your public health nurse (based in the local HSE Health Centre- see local telephone directory for number). Public health nurses hold drop-in (no appointment necessary) well baby clinics and provide home consultation visits to mothers and babies. Public Health Nurses can be contacted by phone Monday to Friday for an hour each morning (usually between 9.30am – 10.30am). You may be able to leave a message at other times.
Local Breastfeeding groupContact your local breastfeeding support group to receive information and support over the telephone or arrange to attend one of the local support group meetings. Mother-to-mother breastfeeding support group meetings are organised and facilitated by HSE public health nurses and voluntary breastfeeding counsellors, mainly by La Leche League and Cuidiú-Irish Childbirth Trust. In a few areas there are also non-affiliated voluntary mother-to-mother breastfeeding support group meetings that you can attend. You can find contact details for support in your area on this site. All La Leche League Leaders and Cuidiu counsellors are mothers who have breastfed their own babies and who have completed an accredited training programme.
Cuidiu Cuidiú- ICT Cuidiú means caring support in Irish. As a voluntary parent-to-parent support group our mission statement of ‘information, education and support’ encourages a confident, positive approach to parenting, empowering parents to make informed choices regarding issues from pregnancy right up to adolescence and beyond. We provide support on all aspects of parenting including Antenatal and Birth Preparation, Breastfeeding, Postnatal and Parenthood. Cuidiú is a nationwide group and we have a diverse programme of events and activities running throughout the country in local branches. These include antenatal classes, breastfeeding support groups, mother and baby groups and postnatal support groups.
Cuidiú offers caring support and understanding to help make parenthood the joy it should be. All parents are welcome to contact us - our website www.cuidiu-ict.ie has information on Cuidiú branches throughout the country.
GPAttend your local GP or practice nurse –if you used shared maternity care from your GP and your maternity hospital or home birth midwife you are entitled to 2 free GP maternity and child care consultations before your baby is 6 weeks old. If you are a medical card holder all visits to the GP are free of charge.
Private Lactation Consultant:Make contact with a private lactation consultant. There are an increasing number of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) providing private breastfeeding information and support. Consult your local telephone directory or the Association of Lactation Consultants in Ireland, www.alcireland.ie, to find out if there is an IBCLC qualified lactation consultant in practice in your area – there is a cost for this service.
The IBCLC qualification is a recognised standard of expertise in lactation management. Many midwives, public health nurses and voluntary breastfeeding counsellors (and some GPs) in the public health and voluntary services also have this qualification. Click here for our list of private lactation consultants.
6 weeks and on
Public Health NurseYou can contact your public health nurse (based in the local HSE Health Centre- see local telephone directory for number). Public health nurses hold drop-in (no appointment necessary) well baby clinics and provide home consultation visits to mothers and babies. Public health nurses can be contacted by phone Monday to Friday for an hour each morning (usually between 9.30am – 10.30am). You may be able to leave a message at other times.
Local Breastfeeding group
Contact your local breastfeeding support group to receive information and support over the telephone or arrange to attend one of the local support group meetings. Mother-to-mother breastfeeding support group meetings are organised and facilitated by HSE public health nurses and voluntary breastfeeding counsellors, mainly by La Leche League and Cuidiú-Irish Childbirth Trust. In a few areas there are also non-affiliated voluntary mother-to-mother breastfeeding support group meetings that you can attend. You can find contact details for support in your area on this site. All La Leche League Leaders and Cuidiu counsellors are mothers who have breastfed their own babies and who have completed an accredited training programme. GPAttend your GP or practice nurse for information and guidance. Private Lactation Consultant:Make contact with a private lactation consultant. There are an increasing number of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) providing private breastfeeding information and support. Consult your local telephone directory or the Association of Lactation Consultants in Ireland, www.alcireland.ie, to find out if there is an IBCLC qualified lactation consultant in practice in your area – there is a cost for this service. The IBCLC qualification is a recognised standard of expertise in lactation management. Many midwives, public health nurses and voluntary breastfeeding counsellors (and some GPs) in the public health and voluntary services also have this qualification.
Click here for list of private lactation consultants and further information.
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Where can I find help? 
