In Ireland, breastfeeding rates increase with a mother’s age, and higher rates are found among women in a higher socio-economic group.

There are lower rates amongst mothers who are unemployed.

When I read this line on page 12 of this week’s health article on breastfeeding, it stopped me in my tracks. Really it shouldn’t have – the reality is, I know this to be true. But it does shed light on why breastfeeding rates in Ireland are much lower than our European counterparts.

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When I was pregnant with my first child, I diligently attended the prenatal classes, dutifully taking notes and asking all those important questions – blind in my naivety that it would make an ounce of difference in those messy, sleep-deprived newborn days.

In those classes, the benefits of breastfeeding were highlighted – good for the baby, good for the mother and oh, by the way, it’s free.

Now for some women, breastfeeding comes naturally, the baby latches on and there you have it, mother’s milk on tap.

And initially, things started off well for myself and my little doll, but we hit a serious block in the road around the six-week mark. The baby wasn’t gaining weight; it turned out my supply was low and we had to call in the experts to help sort the situation.

A friend passed on the number of Caoimhe Whelan, who is interviewed in our breastfeeding article. Lactation consultant and author of Practical Breastfeeding: An Illustrated Guide for Parents, Caoimhe called to my house and sat with my baby and I, giving practical advice, helpful tips and a listening ear.

I can honestly say if it wasn’t for Caoimhe, it’s likely I would have ended our breastfeeding journey at the six-week mark, but after helping us to navigate that fairly rocky bump in the road, I went on to breastfeed my two babies until they were both nearly one – at some stages exclusively and at other stages, a combination of breast milk and formula.

But here’s the thing, Caoimhe is a private lactation consultant and so I paid for her services. And because my supply was low, I invested in a fairly powerful breast pump.

Add in a feeding tube to get more milk into my baby, a breastfeeding pillow to help with back pain and silver cups to ease the nipple pain, and I didn’t have much change out of €500. You’d buy close to 25 boxes of formula for that. While that is my own experience – and not every woman has those costs – it’s still a lot of money for a family to fork out.

If the Government is really serious about promoting breastfeeding in Ireland, it’s not just better messaging that’s needed, it is boots on the ground. We need more lactation consulatants – as well as support from GP’s, nurses and pharmacists

What new mothers really need is more practical support from the healthcare system. Yes, I met with some very helpful lactation consultants in the maternity hospital, but the reality is, there aren’t enough of them. Services are stretched and they simply do not have the time to give women the attention they need – especially if they are having issues.

The same is said after you leave hospital. While I have only good things to say about my public health nurse, again, her time was limited given the sheer volume of patients she was dealing with.

If the Government is really serious about promoting breastfeeding in Ireland, it’s not just better messaging that’s needed, it is boots on the ground.

We need more lactation consulatants – as well as support from GP’s, nurses and pharmacists – that can give mothers the time and care needed to navigate this sleep-deprived, hormone-induced, emotional but beautiful journey.