New breastfeeding support page launched in Derry

Derry City and Strabane District Council area currently has the lowest breastfeeding rates of any council area in the UK and Ireland. A group of parents, practitioners and advocates got together to look at what can be done to increase visibility and support of breastfeeding to improve breastfeeding numbers in the northwest.

As a result of efforts by volunteers, there is now a handy signposting resource on Facebook and Instagram called North West BAPS (Breastfeeding and Perinatal Support) which provides accessible information about the wide range of local and online breastfeeding support that is available.

Dr. Maria Herron who is leading this initiative said: “After meeting with the Mayor Sandra Duffy during World Breastfeeding Week 2022, I convened a follow up meeting at the Foyle Arena in October to discuss what can be done to address the low breastfeeding rates in the district.

“One of many ideas that came out of this discussion was the need for more information on support that is available. I put out a call for help, and as well as receiving information directly from organisations which support breastfeeding mothers, two parents Noella Gormley and Sinead O’Kane volunteered to help me. As a result of everyone pulling together, we now have North West BAPS on Facebook and Instagram”.

Mayor Sandra Duffy, said: “I am delighted to support this initiative and the additional local services for pregnant women and new parents. New mums face enough challenges and, as a community, we should create a nurturing and supportive environment that will help them care for their babies. Sometimes all that’s needed is a listening ear, or the reassurance that you are doing a good job. I look forward to seeing this network continuing to grow, connecting parents and health professionals, and improving the health and wellbeing of both mothers and babies across our City and District. Well done to all involved.”

Sinead O’Kane, mum of two, explained why she got involved with this initiative. “I am currently 9 months into my breastfeeding journey with my wee daughter,” she said. “I initially felt like there was a lack of support out there, but actually there is so much support available, just not everyone knows about it. Once I found the right people to help guide me, a really difficult journey began to become so much easier. I feel so passionate about breastfeeding and have gone through every experience possible. Therefore, I really wanted to get involved to help share what support is out there, so that all mammy’s have access to a lovely experience with their baby. When Maria was looking for volunteers to create this page, I literally jumped at the chance and ‘milked’ the opportunity!”

Noella Gormley, described what motivated her involvement in setting up North West BAPS: "I recently moved back home to Derry, and felt like I had to hunt down the breastfeeding support. Support shouldn't be so difficult to find, and North West BAPS is a platform that can help mums who want to 'give breastfeeding a go', easily access all the support that's available. There's no 'one size fits all' for breastfeeding support, and we need different types of support at different stages of the breastfeeding journey. Breastfeeding has had such a positive impact on many different areas of my life, and working with North West BAPS is my way of paying back all the support I received. We want to give mums a fighting chance to reach their breastfeeding goals, whatever they may be.”

The Western Health and Social Care Trust are the main providers of breastfeeding support in the Council area, and this includes provision of information at the antenatal stage, support in the hospital through midwives and other trained staff, and postnatal support in the community. Support is also available through breastfeeding peer support volunteers as well as specialised breastfeeding support from one of the Infant Feeding Leads if required. The Western Trust also hosts the Human Milk Bank in Fermanagh, a facility established by Health Visitor Ann McCrea, which provides lifesaving donor milk for premature and sick babies across the island of Ireland.

Joyce McKittrick, Lead Nurse for Health Visiting in WHSCT commended the North West BAPS initiative, saying “Our Health visiting team is looking forward to continuing to work in partnership with North West BAPS in the promotion and support of breastfeeding mothers, making this support accessible to all. The Trust is fully committed to supporting all mothers to achieve their breastfeeding goals.”

Other sources of breastfeeding support which are available locally include the Derry Well Women Centre, Sure Start Breastfeeding Support Groups and the Minding Mum project in the Waterside. La Leche League and Cuidui have also established a presence in the North West, and there are several breastfeeding support groups in neighbouring council areas which also welcome mums to drop in for support. Details of local groups, telephone helplines and online support including zoom meetups are all part of the signposting service offered by North West BAPS.

The Derry Well Women is the base for the longest running Breastfeeding Support Group in the city – initially set up by now retired Health Visitor, Bernie Webster. Oonagh Butler from the Derry Well Women said, “We are delighted to see the impact that North West BAPS has already had on social media providing easily accessible information for breastfeeding mums”.

Christine McBride, Coordinator of Minding Mum, a holistic perinatal mental health project for pregnant women and mums of babies under one living in the Waterside, said: “North West BAPS has been a fantastic signposting service for Minding Mum. I have had many pregnant women and new mums ask for breastfeeding support who I can refer to NW BAPS without delay and with confidence they will get the help they need.”

Helen Hancock an Advanced Breastfeeding Counsellor with Cuidiu, shared her views about North West BAPS: “This resource is so important to combine all our skills and knowledge to offer mothers in the Northwest a high level of care and support needed in those early weeks of breastfeeding.”

Local parent and mum of two, Hollie Carroll said: “It's brilliant to have North West BAPS as a single source for all breastfeeding support in our area. Nursing my firstborn was challenging for the first five weeks because he had a posterior tongue tie. It was only when I went through the toe-curling pain of mastitis that I found out about the Health Trust's Infant Feeding Lead. She talked me through new feeding positions and organised a tongue tie revision. I'm nursing my second baby now and I hope I can support new mums to enjoy their own breastfeeding journeys”.

The North West BAPS is not just for mums, it is for anyone who would like to support women in their breastfeeding journeys. John McBride, a committed advocate of breastfeeding, said; “Dads - this is for you too. I struggled to work out how I could provide support and a resource like this would have helped me on my way. Understanding how you can help comes from knowing what the challenges are.”

Fore more information on NW Baps, follow them on Facebook or Instagram.