Even when Irish mothers try to breast-feed their babies, they are unlikely to find important support within their close family network. Their mothers, sisters or aunts frequently have no experience of breast-feeding, according to Prof Cecily Kelleher of UCG's department of health promotion.
Successive generations of Irish babies have been bottle-fed. This has left Ireland languishing at the bottom of the EU breast-feeding table.
Family support can play a significant role in helping to ensure that infants get what is considered "the optimal food" for them, Prof Kelleher noted.
Fewer than 35 per cent of Irish mothers breast-feed their babies, whereas rates throughout the EU have rebounded since a sharp decline everywhere during the 1960s.
"Seven out of 10 Irish mothers do not breast-feed. In Greece, nine out of 10 do," Prof Kelleher said.
She was speaking yesterday after a new training package, which has been developed by her department, was announced. Commissioned by the Department of Health, it is aimed at those considered most important in encouraging breast-feeding: nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers.
There has been a modest increase in recent years in Irish breast-feeding, particularly among higher socio-economic groups, she said. But if the contrast with other EU states was to be eliminated, "this kind of package is needed."
It consists of videos and information packs and was developed with the involvement of the nursing authority, An Bord Altranais.
The National Breast-feeding Policy for Ireland was published by the Department of Health in 1994. It aimed at increasing the number of Irish women in all socio-economic groups who breast-feed.
It was motivated by evidence that breast milk - a combination of active natural hormones, enzymes and cells - is nutritionally and immunologically unique, as well as being cheap and readily available. More than any other factor, increasing breast-feeding should improve the health of Irish infants.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Tom Moffatt, said it was disappointing that breast-feeding rates had not increased to the extent they should.
