Sir, - We applaud Victoria White's astute analysis of the current breastfeeding situation in Ireland. It has been five years since the National Breastfeeding Policy for Ireland was published and little has changed since then. Mothers still cite conflicting information as a major problem when trying to establish breastfeeding, just as Ms White experienced. Access to correct information on breastfeeding solutions and techniques that work should be readily available to every mother, regardless of where her baby is born or which health professional she consults.
There is a need for a media campaign similar to those for safer driving and healthy eating. This has worked well in other countries, such as Norway, where the entire population is educated about breastfeeding, not just pregnant mothers.
The value of mother-to-mother support for breastfeeding is well proven. Eighty per cent of mothers who attend at least two La Leche League meetings are still breastfeeding at six months. Adequate funding is essential for the voluntary organisations which provide this support, such as La Leche League and the Irish Childbirth Trust. These organisations are under-funded and underresourced and, as a result, many of the projects which could help mothers cannot be developed.
As Ms White writes, "it takes political will to mobilise the health services so that they can, in turn, support women." We agree with her declaration that the lack of political support for the National Breastfeeding Policy amounts to a "public health scandal". We call on the Department of Health to implement this policy without any further delay. - Yours, etc.,
Margaret McGuigan, PRO, La Leche League of Ireland Castleblaney, Co Monaghan.