The number of babies assessed by a Public Health Nurse dropped by almost 50% during the pandemic.
That is according to exclusive figures obtained by Newstalk from the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Some 53,524 babies were seen in 2019 - however that figure dropped to 28,184 in 2020, and moved up to just 31,574 in 2021.
Reporter Laura Donnelly is behind the investigation.
She spoke to one affected parent, Natalie Donohue, about waiting for an appointment for her child Romy.
"I actually didn't have any visits from the Public Health Nurses after Romy had that first initial one, until her 24 month one which just happened a couple of months ago.
"So she went along to this and she passed and they were happy with her development, and the stage she's at in life.
"But for those two years, I was worried.
"I was like 'No one's actually really had a look at her to see if she's at the stage she's at, or if she's meeting the right milestones.
"And kind of lived with the worry of 'Oh God I hope she's getting everything she needs, I hope her weight is OK'.
"Just those kind of small, little milestones that you do worry about as a parent".
The full report will be broadcast on The Hard Shoulder on Newstalk from 4.00pm
