La Leche League Mullingar marking National Breastfeeding Week with a coffee morning
The Mullingar branch of La Leche League is holding a coffee morning in the Annebrook House Hotel next Monday morning October 3, which coincides with National Breastfeeding Week (October 1-7).
La Leche League Mullingar meets bi-monthly in the Annebrook on the first Monday (10am) and third Monday (8pm), while local leaders are always contactable outside these times. The local branch also operates a WhatsApp group which many mothers find a huge support.
In a statement released this week, Lynn Carroll, PRO of La Leche League of Ireland, outlined the importance of National Breastfeeding Week:
Every year, National Breastfeeding Week allows us to take stock of how Ireland is doing when it comes to breastfeeding uptake, protection and promotion. We also celebrate our wonderful breastfeeding support community this week.
As our world becomes increasingly volatile, with climate change, food insecurity and war very much in the headlines in 2022, it is reassuring to know that the basics of what babies need to survive have not changed over the millennia.
As we move closer to a post-pandemic world, breastfeeding is key to sustainable development strategies, as it improves nutrition, ensures food security and reduces inequalities between and within countries. This is especially important right now, as we see families struggling with the cost of living increases and threats to our global food supply chains.
Breastfeeding provides total food security for infants. There is no more readily available, affordable and nutritious food source than breastmilk. It is a complete food for infants up to six months of age, and with complementary foods up to two years and beyond.
Historically, reasons for breastfeeding have focused on health outcomes for both mother and infant, but recent studies have highlighted the environmental cost of decades of lack of investment in services to support breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding uses fewer resources, produces minimal or zero waste and is associated with infant and maternal health outcomes which produce healthier populations that use fewer healthcare resources.
In addition, the economic impact on society is potentially huge. The cost of not breastfeeding globally is estimated to be between US$257 billion and US$341 billion. It makes economic sense for our governments and communities to foster societies that are breastfeeding friendly, and to provide practical supports that improve our breastfeeding rates and duration.
While the act of breastfeeding in itself is free, there can be many barriers for families who choose to give their children human milk. La Leche League Leaders are here to help every family, offering a safe space for those who want to provide human milk to their babies and to get information and support so they can meet their own breastfeeding goals.
La Leche League has been providing free, up-to-date, evidence-based breastfeeding information and support in Ireland since 1966. We have come a long way since our first meetings and now have 36 groups in communities across the island of Ireland, which are supported by 110 trained peer-support leaders.
All of our leaders have breastfed at least one child to one year of age, have undertaken extensive training to become a leader and keep up to date with the latest breastfeeding research by attending training throughout the year. We are able to support families by providing information while maintaining the insight and empathy we have gained by nursing our own children.
Research highlights the importance of peer-trained support in building confidence in breastfeeding, and ultimately leading to longer breastfeeding duration and increased maternal satisfaction.
For further information on next Monday morning's coffee morning in the Annebrook or any other queries, please contact Emer on 0863256629.
Mullingar La Leche League leader contact details:
Georgina - 0873157478
Sharon - 0876402568
Emer - 0863256629
Laura - 0862341392