Breastfeeding support

If you are having problems with breastfeeding or if you have any worries or questions about breastfeeding your newborn, there are lots of sources of help and information available to you.

You can call your maternity hospital or your Public Health Nurse.

You can find mother-to-mother support and information through your local La Leche League group. For more information, visit www.lalecheleagueireland.com

You can seek the support of a Lactation Consultant. For more information contact ALCI: www.alcireland.com

The HSE has a useful website for information on breastfeeding, including a great section listing breastfeeding support by county/area: www.breastfeeding.ie

Or you can contact us in confidence via email: support@aimsireland.com

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mum and Baby

The benefits to babies who are breastfed:

Less risk of: gastroenteritis, coughs and colds, ear infection, childhood diabetes, asthma and eczema, obesity, high blood pressure later in life, better for mouth formation

The benefits to mums who breastfeed:

Less risk of: breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis in later life, post-childbirth obesity

Other benefits:

It’s Free!

It gives mum and baby alone time to rest and bond

It’s Easy – no getting up in the night, no sterilising, no extra washing

Breastfeeding is environmentally friendly – no packaging

Here is a link to the HSE Breastfeeding Support Network for more information 

Safely Storing Breastmilk

Breast Milk can be safely stored:

  • At room temperature (19-22C) for 6 hrs. If you do not plan to give your baby your expressed milk within this time you should put it in a cool bag containing previously frozen ice blocks or put in a fridge immediately after expressing.
  • In a fridge for up to 5 days – on a high shelf and to the back of the fridge.
  • In a self-contained freezer compartment for up to 3 months. Place the expressed milk to the back of the freezer.

How to warm up the milk:

  • Heat refrigerated milk by placing the container in warm water.
  • Frozen milk can be thawed overnight in the fridge or by placing the container in warm water. Keep thawed breast milk in the fridge until needed and use within 24 hrs. Once previously refrigerated or frozen breast milk has been warmed it should be used within 1 hour or thrown away. Breast milk should never be re-frozen.
  • Do not microwave to heat or thaw milk. It can destroy ingredients of breast milk and can cause hot spots which can burn your baby’s mouth.
  • Gently swirl the heated breastmilk and test the temperature of the milk before feeding your baby.