'It's far from the norm': breastfeeding beyond 1 year in the Republic of Ireland.

Breastfeeding is the optimal form of nutrition for infants and young children. The World Health Organization recommends that babies are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months of life, and up to the age of 2 years or beyond in combination with complementary food. Breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates are suboptimal globally and very low in the Republic of Ireland where health promotion initiatives and healthcare professional support predominantly focus on the important phase of initiation and early months of the breastfeeding journey.

A co-designed evaluation study to identify Breastfeeding Knowledge of General Practitioners' and Practice Nurses'.

The World Health Organization and American Academy of Paediatrics recommend exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with complementary solid foods for up to 2 years and beyond. Despite the well-established importance of breastfeeding, Irish rates remain the lowest in Europe. Healthcare professionals' breastfeeding knowledge and skills have a positive impact on increasing breastfeeding rates.

Antenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy and breastfeeding outcomes among mothers participating in a feasibility breastfeeding-support intervention.

Background: Breastfeeding rates in Ireland are among the lowest worldwide. A feasibility study of a breastfeeding-support intervention explored maternal characteristics associated with antenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy and with infant-feeding mode at 6 weeks postpartum among women giving birth in Ireland.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study across two sites, urban and rural: The National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Dublin and Wexford General Hospital (WGH), Wexford.

A feasibility study of a multidimensional breastfeeding-support intervention in Ireland.

Background: Breastfeeding is the optimum mode of infant feeding. Despite this, most global populations do not achieve the World Health Organisation's recommendation of exclusive breast milk for the first 6 months of life. Irish breastfeeding rates are among the lowest in Europe, necessitating a well-designed breastfeeding-support intervention.