The Labour party have unveiled 14 new recommendations to encourage higher rates of breastfeeding in Ireland, as part of World Breastfeeding Week. Although rates of breastfeeding in Ireland have risen over the past 20 years, they are still below global targets.

 

Among the key recommendations are allowing mums to take breastfeeding breaks at work for up to one year after birth, restricting advertisements for formula, and the provision of more lactation consultants and support groups nationwide.

 

The recommendations are broken down into healthcare, workplace and cultural measures.

 

From a healthcare perspective, Labour are calling for the establishment of a donor human milk bank, access to hospital grade breastfeeding pumps for new mums, and one free visit at home from a qualified lactation consultant.

 

In the workplace, they recommend that employers provide appropriate areas for breastfeeding mothers who express milk at work, in an environment which protects their health and safety.

 

They also recommend changing the current upper limit for breastfeeding breaks from six months post-birth, to one year.

 

 

The party are also calling for updated regulations on marketing restrictions on baby formula milk, and other breast milk substitutes.

 

From a cultural perspective, they believe our education system, curriculum, and materials should reflect and promote the benefits and value of breastfeeding.

 

Recent figures show there is a huge disparity in breastfeeding rates between rural and urban areas - eight in 10 babies are breastfed in south east Dublin, compared to two in 10 in Donegal, according to The Irish Examiner.

 

Labour Senator Kevin Humphries said all mums nationwide should be able to access the same supports, regardless of where they live.

 

 

He said: "Wherever a mother has a baby - in Donegal, Dublin or Roscommon - those supports should be there for her. We want to make sure the breastfeeding journey for the mother and child is a very good one, where (both) can benefit.”

 

Ireland has the lowest number of new mothers breastfeeding in a study of 27 high income countries, according to The Lancet, with only 55 percent of new mums opting to breastfeed.

 

Rates dip even lower at the six-month minimum mark recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

 

WHO statistics indicate that only 15 percent of Irish children are breastfed in any amount at six months old, compared to the global average of 38 percent, a European average of 25 percent, and the WHO global target rate of 50 percent.

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