Ms Fiona Rea:

As far as the support groups would be concerned, certainly with Cuidiú, we have breastfeeding counsellors who are available. I would not say 24-hour availability for sure, but some will be available late in the evening and at weekends. Some of the lactation consultants working in private practice will state on their information that they are available all of the time. The HSE has lactation consultants who mothers send questions to online. They are available five days a week, not 24-hours a day either. We do not have that system but certainly a mother in the hospital should be getting the same level of care for the 24 hours - however many of those she is in the hospital.

To go back to the Deputy's point about the note-taking, that would cut out much of the misinformation. If somebody was seeing the plan for that particular mother as noted in the chart, he or she will not sweep into the room and completely change what information somebody else has given. Many of the stories that the Bainne Beatha ladies have heard are sweeping statements that are made with very little thought, whereas if it had to be charted there would be much more thought given to the information that is being given to that mother.

It is such a vulnerable time for mothers. They are exhausted. They have had the best gift of their lives given to them but they are at a loss as to the right thing to do. Any education they have had prior to that goes out the window. They are looking for solid information. It is not acceptable at this stage to tell a mother that bleeding nipples at 12 hours is normal and she will just have to toughen up and get over it. We have all heard it frequently and we are still hearing it.

If they note everything throughout the birth, they should continue noting everything. One can be sure the medications are noted. Any checks that are done on mum are noted. It is only one other step.