Limerick mother shares 'amazing' experience at UMHL's lactation station

WITH this week marking National Breastfeeding Week in Ireland, Limerick Leader reporter Sandra Quinn spoke of her very recent experience in University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL).

Sandra welcomed a new arrival into the family last week on September 25, and saw first-hand how “exceptional” the breastfeeding support is at UMHL’s lactation station. 

The lactation station is on the top floor of the hospital, in a room at the end of one of the maternity wards. 

"I was an inpatient last week, I'd had my baby girl Eve Ruby on the Wednesday and she latched on straight away in recovery after a planned c-section,” Sandra explained. 

"The midwife in theatre said she thought she saw a tongue tie, and we had a negative experience with our eldest and a tongue tie, so I knew I would be seeking support as soon as I could.” 

She was told while on the ward that there would be a clinic the following day, and to just “pop down”. 

She explains how with her eldest child, support from lactation consultants was as an outpatient in the antenatal clinic, where mothers would go into a consultation room and get advice on the latch and feeding position, as well as helpful information.  

READ MORE: Positive Parenting: National Breastfeeding Week focuses on supportive partners

"When I went into the lactation station, as it has been dubbed, it was amazing. I got an immediate sense of comradery, support and an overwhelming sense of community,” Sandra praised.

"Around the room, women were sitting with their babies or pumping for their babies in the neonatal unit, while the lactation consultants Helen, Carmen and Sheena went around giving advice, checking latches and position. As the three women worked their magic, mothers shared experiences, swapped stories and spoke freely while comfortably feeding their babies.”

"It takes a village to raise a child and what the lactation consultants have achieved with this room in UMHL is the first stop in that village,” Sandra commented.

The theme of this year’s National Breastfeeding Week, taking place from October 1 to 7, is From Bump to Baby and Beyond.

Limerick’s We’re Breastfeeding Friendly campaign has launched this year’s initiative, led by Limerick City and County Council’s Healthy Limerick in partnership with the HSE and Children and Young People Services Committee (CYPSC).

This year’s campaign has a particular goal of making Kilmallock an official breastfeeding-friendly town, according to Healthy Limerick co-ordinator at Limerick City and County Council, Olivia O’Brien.

Over 80 businesses, organisations, and community groups have already signed up to be breastfeeding-friendly environments, and the initiative is calling on more to join the campaign.