Cuidiú Offaly celebrates National Breastfeeding Week
From October 1 to Ocotber 7, Cuidiú Offaly, a local support and education group for parents, with a focus on breastfeeding, along with the HSE and others, celebrates National Breastfeeding Week.
The aim of National Breastfeeding Week is to celebrate and promote breastfeeding in Ireland. Breastfeeding offers numerous benefits for both mother and baby and is packed full of nutrients and antibodies, designed specifically for your child. Other benefits include its convenience and often positive impact on a mother's mood and sleep.
Cuidiú Offaly also marks its first anniversary, having been set up in August 2022 by local women Jasmine Elkhershi and Carolina von Ov.
Both women, who have breastfed their own children, felt there was a lack of support for breastfeeding mothers in Offaly and wanted to change that.
The group meet on a monthly basis in Tullamore Library, providing a relaxed, supportive environment for mothers to discuss their breastfeeding journeys, seek advice from qualified Breastfeeding Counsellor Carolina, and feed their babies and toddlers in a safe space. A well deserved cup of tea or coffee and a treat or two is also provided.
Speaking about the importance of support for breastfeeding, co-founder of Cuidiú Offaly, Jasmine Elkhershi, said: "Historically, breastfeeding rates in Offaly have been amongst the lowest in Ireland and Ireland has the lowest breastfeeding rate in the world. However, since the provision of funding for a public lactation consultant in Offaly, Patricia Marteinsson, along with an increase in community support such as that provided by Cuidiú Offaly, breastfeeding rates in Offaly have risen dramatically. In 2022 and in the year to date in 2023, women continuing to breastfeed at three months in Offaly has risen dramatically. What an achievement to be able to point to this National Breastfeeding Week, we want to help keep this going."
For details on meeting dates and times, check out the Cuidiú Offaly social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.