Extended Breastfeeding in Ireland

Smerwick Harbour

A year away...

As I finished up the school year before I went on maternity leave in June 2011, we decided to move to Kerry altogether for just over a year. My 3rd baby was due in early September and I would be back to work 12 months later. My Chef (aka my Other Half or Dear Partner) had a job there which he didn't in Cork and we'd manage financially with me taking unpaid leave. Returning to work that bit later would make it a lot easier to continue to breastfeed my little darling.


......and so we packed up everything and took off to live in the land of Peig Sayers and Maidhc Dainín - somewhere between the two really. May they both rest in peace.

I had not banked on the baby groups, BFing support, sling meets and toddler groups being so few and far between. I hadn't banked on missing the Cork friends I'd made at these groups with my second baby. Fortunately, I had been added to a facebook group called "Breastfeeding Mammies in Cork" and kept in contact with everyone there. In a moment of excitement mid-discussion on that group, I started another: "Feeding Two Babies Rocks". There were a few of us tandem feeding and most were Cork based! Our shared experience was (and still is) helpful to many through pregnancy and the early days of managing two nurslings. The group has since broadened geographically and has over 150 members at the moment. I relied on these facebook groups and a few old and new real life friends to satisfy my need to chat almost 24/7. It's tough being at home with 2 smallies and a 9 yo with no adult company for much of the day!! I just about coped.

Niamh -The Hippest Mama on the Telly!

Niamh -The Mama's Hip

In January 2012 I was watching TV -the afternoon show. It had been mentioned on facebook that there was to be an item about Tandem BFing and I was very excited, presuming that it would be a positive and encouraging piece. Unfortunately for the interviewee, the questions asked were not supportive at all and implied that BFing beyond the early weeks was uncalled for, inappropriate and something to make "ikki" faces at on TV. My heart went out to the lady (Niamh) who had put herself out there and shared her story -her little boys were each a few months older than my nursing pair. I knew she'd not be pleased that the health benefits were not mentioned and that misinformation was given about the HSE and WHO's BFing advice. People are already often unaware that BFing to 2 years is the recommended minimum age for BFing here in Ireland, 6 months of which should be exclusive (before baby starts solids). You can read Niamh O'Connell's reaction to the interview here: Niamh's Reaction. I was so glad that she interrupted to correct that misinformation. While this was a horrible experience for her...good things came of it for Niamh and for Breastfeeding Mammies in Ireland!

The Creation of EBI

I was disappointed and annoyed. I wanted to reach out to this lady and others who were BFing older children or tandem feeding. I took that interview very personally. I felt so lucky to have my BFing friends: my little circles at La Leche League (Dingle & Cork branches) and a broader circle on the two facebook groups. I decided there and then to start a group for those feeding a bit longer than most so that we could know that we are not odd, crazy or alone. We would find strength in numbers -ní neart go chur le chéile!! I laboured and thought for a few days trying to get the name and group description just right. I settled on a name that would be easily found in a search "Extended Breastfeeding in Ireland".I wasn't 100% happy to be calling what many of us saw as normal "extended", but it would be easily found and was extended in comparison to the national norms in Ireland -which are particularly poor. 

It takes a village to raise a child

I added a few friends who were BFing toddlers or older children and I went to bed with membership at about 12. I woke to membership of 50 and within days it was at 100 and then 200! It grew quickly and by a year it had over 1000 members. I did most of the admin "work" (if you can call it that) on the group with help from a few others for almost a year. I wrote policies and welcome notes and settled disputes until it got to be too much with work, study and the kids. Fortunately those who had been helping out until then stepped up and took on all the admin bits and bobs and recruited a few more to help out with what was becoming an epic group. Beyond all expectations, it currently has 1600+ members. At the LLL conference in 2013, I was simply blown away by the kindness that the EBI members showed me in awarding the title of "EBI person of the year" to me, along with some special thoughts and gifts.

Breastfeeding Mammies

Along with EBI, I continued to enjoy my local FB group "BFing Mammies in Cork" and it kept me in the loop about local events. Mammies in other counties and cities all across the country were not as well connected and found it difficult to find real life support groups. Many hadn't needed BFing support in the early days and now that they were nursling a toddler or older child they wanted reassurance that they wouldn't be the only one not feeding a new born before they'd consider attending a group. Breastfeeding mammies in "(county)" were gradually started and are now available to all 26 counties though some have a slight variation in the name. Dublin doesn't have "mammies" (-they are "mums"), and as Limerick City meetings or events would be relevant to those in nearby Counties Tipp. and Clare, the group names includes those "in and near" Limerick. I don't admin all of these of course (as I have a lot of other things to do), but there are still a few that haven't been taken off my hands just yet! We're always looking to find more members -everywhere!

You can get a full map of these groups here!

I'm very proud of my clickable map. It took a bit of work as I hadn't a clue how such things might be done!

Other Groups

While chatting in EBI it quickly became apparent that there were a number of other topics that many long term BFers were interested in....and at some point I (and some others) began creating a group for recurring topics of interest. I suppose we wanted to open up those topics to those starting out on their BFing journey and to those not BFing at all. I really like that any of these spin off groups that started on EBI have a disproportionate number of BFers in them and long term BFers at that! "Disproportionate" in terms of national ratios, but not at all inappropriate :P. Questions about BFing toddlers are very much the norm even where the topic has nothing to do with BFing at all. I'll be getting to work on a comprehensive list once I get around to it!

2% Karma Tax

I think the creation of EBI has encouraged many to continue to BF into toddlerhood and has allowed mothers to feel normal through this connection with others. Members don't share views on everything of course and the spin off groups allow people to connect in more detail on specific topics while skipping those that are not of interest. I really hope that 2012 saw the start of a turn about in BFing rates in Ireland. I'm very proud of all it has achieved and it's bringing good Karma to my life as I negotiated a 2% Karma tax on all the good that comes of it! Just based on this I think I'm in for good things for many years to come!!

Go forth and spread the word about BFing in Ireland!! It's on the rise!!