As August 1st to 7th is World Breastfeeding Week, Lisa Finnegan of www.friendsofbreastfeeding.ie writes a guest column for Her.ie on her personal experience, and the importance of supporting mothers.

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Lisa writes: 

There seems to have been a lot of “boob” news recently, and whether coincidental or deliberate good timing, it has coincided with World Breastfeeding Week which ran from 1^st to 7^th August this year. This week, a study was released which shows that among seven year olds, IQ scores were higher in those who had been breastfed for at least a year as an infant compared to those who were not. Also that the longer the children were fed for the bigger the increase in the IQ score.

The “boob” news last week, which was celebrated (after being long anticipated) by many breastfeeders, is that Prince George is being breastfed. The Duchess of Cambridge, I hope, will be another hugely positive role model for many mums’ who chose to breastfeed their baby, along with others even closer to home such as Pippa O’ Connor. It is only when we see other mothers breastfeeding that we will perceive it to be the societal norm. 

With all this news, we all know by now how lovely and good and natural breastfeeding is, right? Of course. And it really is all those things. After almost 2 years of breastfeeding my son “num nums”, I’m a huge advocate. But being lovely and good and natural doesn’t mean breastfeeding will be easy.

The theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2013 is Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers. Support is one of the single most vital aspects of a successful breastfeeding relationship according to numerous studies, and there are many support options available to choose form.

While some women seem literally born to breastfeed, others (including myself) find it harder. There are a whole host of problems that women can encounter, particularly in the early days of breastfeeding. Babys’ father, while often being Number 1 in supporting a new breastfeeding mother, won’t usually have much personal breastfeeding experience! While a mother feeds the baby, the father feeds the mother! The natural thing for any woman to do is ask their peers, mothers, friends and sisters, for advice. However, if they haven't breastfed, there is a huge gap where there should be experience and support. How could anyone know that the sticky yellow colostrum that is produced by a mother for the first few days after birth is super nutrient rich and a teaspoon amount is enough to fill your baby’s tiny tummy for two or three hours unless they have been around a newborn being breastfed colostrum? How could someone know that a baby will instinctively feed more often before they have a growth spurt, to signal their mothers’ body to make the bigger volume of milk that will be the perfect amount for them after they suddenly grow bigger, unless they woken up one morning and it seems a baby has grown 6 inches overnight after seemingly feeding constantly for two days beforehand? Normal baby behaviours can seem so daunting unless a mother knows to expect them and what they mean.

The professional supports that are readily available and most accessible; the midwives, public health nurses and GP’s are typically next in line if you don’t have family support.  

A popular saying is “Every breastfeeding problem has a breastfeeding solution”, which is true, but what use is it to a mother to know there is a breastfeeding solution to her problem out there somewhere, without being able to find out what it is. With a good support network in place, whoever it is made up of, means that if a mother encounters a problem, she can seek help, resolve the issue and move on.  Appropriate breastfeeding support really is key in, as the Friends of Breastfeeding ethos states, “helping mothers have the breastfeeding experience that they want to have”.

New breastfeeding groups and new support initiatives are being set up on a regular basis to meet the increasing demand. The Friends of Breastfeeding “Breastfeeding Buddy System” is one such free initiative which began earlier this year in West Dublin and is designed specifically to offer one-on-one peer support for expectant and new mothers, primarily by helping mothers to recognise normal behaviours in the first few weeks and then to introduce mothers to the wider supports available, if there is a genuine problem to guide them in the direction of a their public health nurse, a Cuidiu Breastfeeding Counsellor or La Leche League Leader, who are highly trained volunteers, or an IBCLC who is a certified lactation consultant.

One piece of advice I give to mums to be is to find a local support group and visit it before your baby is born. It can be intimidating walking into a room full of women that you don’t know, but they truly are there either seeking support themselves, or to offer their support in whatever way they can. Once you have been, and know a name or two, it is one less big step to take after your baby arrives (after which every step is an achievement, even leaving the house!)

For mothers who are more isolated, or those who live in the middle of a city but find themselves awake at 2am on a bank holiday Sunday with an unhappy baby, online support is invaluable. There are many Irish breastfeeding support forums, both on the popular mum to be websites and private Facebook groups, and there is almost always somebody else awake and ready to offer support and helpful suggestions.

For a comprehensive list of supports, visit www.friendsofbreastfeeding.ie/support/ where you can find up to date information on local and online support groups, including Friends of Breastfeeding, La Leche League, and Cuidiu, as well as further information of the Breastfeeding Buddy System.