The number of women who breastfeed in Ireland is “embarrassingly low”, a Professor of Maternal and Foetal Health has said. 

Roughly 60% of mothers in Ireland breastfeed - compared to around 80% in Britain and the United States. 

The rate is one of the lowest in the western world and Professor Louise Kenny said the reasons for the disparity are “complex”. 

“Firstly, breastfeeding is actually quite hard,” she told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“Ask any first-time Mum who has tried to breastfeed a baby [and] it is a very difficult thing to do. 

“I say that as someone who has breastfed two boys myself; I’ve got a medical degree, a PhD and ran a marathon and I still say that the most difficult thing I’ve done is breastfeed two babies.” 

A woman breastfeeding her baby. Image: Alamy Stock Photo

Professor Kenny said one way to increase the rate would be to provide women with more support as they adjust to life as a new mother. 

“If you look at countries that have very high breastfeeding rates, they have fantastic postnatal care in the community,” she said. 

“We have almost no postnatal care for mums in the community setting.” 

Another factor that increases the rate of breastfeeding is maternity rights - with many women giving up when they go back to work. 

“If a Mum feels financial pressure and has to go back to work before six months, it’s really difficult to keep breastfeeding going,” Professor Kenny said.  

Legal right

Under the Equal Status Act 2000, women are entitled to breastfeed in public if they wish and are not required to ask anyone’s permission to do so. 

However, Professor Kenny said many women feel public facilities in Ireland for breastfeeding are inadequate. 

“The countries that have really great high breastfeeding rates have a whole heap of things that we don’t have in Ireland,” Professor Kenny said.  

“They have fantastic breastfeeding facilities everywhere - it’s just the norm. 

“If you look at what we do in Ireland, we often have breastfeeding facilities - if we have any at all - hidden around by the toilets. 

“You wouldn’t feed yourself in a bathroom, so why would you expect to feed yourself a baby in a bathroom?”

Despite the challenges, Professor Kenny strongly recommends breastfeeding as it gives a child “immediate and lifelong” advantages. 

The HSE says children who are breastfed are less likely to be obese and get infections; it also lowers a woman’s chance of contracting breast cancer, ovarian cancer and diabetes.

Main image: A mother breastfeeding her baby. Picture by: Alamy.com