Deirdre Cassidy Lactation

09/10/2025

Today I had the absolute pleasure and privilege to be invited along to the ' Latching On' breastfeeding morning to celebrate breastfeeding week at Aras an Uachtaràin with some fabulous women from our breastfeeding groups in D8 and D6! There was some great speakers and such a warm welcome from Sabina Higgins discussing sustainable goals, reiterating the importance of peaceful communities and global health and protecting breastfeeding. Great to bump into new and old friends and a room full of amazing mothers & babies blowing bubbles, burps and breastfeeding. Thank you for hosting. Oh and of course bumping into an old Arvagh neighbour, Presidents Aide de Camp Paul Mulligan
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08/10/2025

It was a very busy National Breastfeeding Week...lots of events and talks and webinars and meet ups. But most importantly meeting lots of you lovely mothers and babies, for support this week! It was so fabulous to meet everyone new and old over the past few weeks. Big shout out to the wonderful Hazel Chu for hosting us in the
And an even bigger buladh bùs for the wonderful parents Breastfeeding their armlings' and toddlers and little people this week. 🧒👶
Remember to reach out for suppprt if you are struggling with breastfeeding to your local group, your PHN or Midwife or or or or right here
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05/03/2025

Happy IBCLC Day! 🎈🎈
This year I am celebrating 5 years working as an International Board Certifed Lactation Consultant Working with families - tiny tots, bigger ones too and of course supporting women- partners and mothers to make informed choices about feeding their baby. IBCLC'S can be a life raft for families when they are tired, confused in pain and just emotional! When they just need help! Tjere are so many amazing practitioner and colleagues out there that have supported me in my practice too!
If you know someone struggling or you are yourself -reach out!
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01/03/2025

I am delighted to share I will be presenting with Elaine Campbell on this important topic at the conference in March.

''Our presenters Elaine Campbell and Deirdre Cassidy will shine a light on an important topic often considered taboo – Postpartum psychosis and how it differs from other perinatal mental health presentations. Opening up a conversation on how it can impact breastfeeding and also how advocacy and multidisciplinary breastfeeding support can be a chalice of light in an uncertain terrain for women and their families''
What role does skilled lactation support play?
Learn more at our upcoming online conference: Empowering Breastfeeding: science and support, online from March 5. Register at iLactation.com or linkinbio.

01/03/2025

I will be presenting with Elaine Campbell at ILactations online conference -breastfeeding and postpartum psychosis. Sharing our experiences as IBCLC'S. We titled the presentation 'Breastfeeding in the dark'
A topic which can be difficult isolating, healing- nuanced from the very beginning.

Our presenters Elaine Campbell and Dierdre Cassidy will shine a light on an important topic often considered taboo – Postpartum psychosis and how it differs from other perinatal mental health presentations. Opening up a conversation on how it can impact breastfeeding and also how advocacy and multidisciplinary breastfeeding support can be a chalice of light in an uncertain terrain for women and their families.
What role does skilled lactation support play?
Learn more at our upcoming online conference: Empowering Breastfeeding: science and support, online from March 5. Register at iLactation.com or linkinbio.

04/10/2024

Multitasking here... on the way to the ALCI conference in the car direct from honeymoon 🤪
Thanks to my wonderful chauffeur Ronan

03/10/2024

National Breastfeeding Week has rolled around again and I am reflecting on all the wonderful mothers and parents whom I have supported in the last year. I learn so much from families every day and the past year I have worked with parents and babies with latching difficulties, mastitis, low milk supply , primary lactation failure, breast feeding after breast cancer, prolonged engorgment, transitiong to breast, babies with colic and refux and preparing to breastfeed and also planning to feed a baby after a traumatic experience first time round and all of the stuff in between!
🌟For the most part, there are happy endings and smiles & cuddly babies but there are tears and adaptations to plans and goals and there is heartache. Awful heartache and feelings of inadequacy and sadness.Because there isn't always an answer with breastfeeding but skilled support can help you find your way with feeding- find a path that works for you as a person and for your baby!
🌟I'm away to the National Association of Lactation Consultants conference tomorrow in Cork for the weekend. A room and a virtual room of experts in lactation and breastfeeding from around the world, all with a shared vision to provide skilled, evidence based support to women, babies and families- however that looks.
Continual education is the foundation of any practice and community is the second. I know there are some many chats to be had, snapshots of practice with a room full of amazing people. I hope I can pass on all these nuggets to the clients I meet in the next year!
🌟P.s Finding community for breastfeeding mothers/parents is essential. You can find your nearest breastfeeding group at ;
https://www2.hse.ie/services/breastfeeding-support-search/

14/07/2024

A busy few months of upskilling and working on CPD for me recently. Yesterday I completed training with Suzanne Carney in innovative ways to treat Infammatory conditions of the breast, lymphatic massage, kinesotaping, photobiomodulation laser and therapeutic ultrasound. Over time I hope to use these skills with clients in the community.

01/10/2023

Had a great weekend at national conference 2023. Great presenters and got to connect with so many amazing IBCLC lactation consultants, nurses,midwives doctors, researchers and pregnancy and birth workers. It's national breastfeeding week this week. Creating an atmosphere of normalising breastfeeding and supporting women to make informed choices is crucial. I can certainly say there are a lot of people out there fighting for change. All breastfeeding and breastmilk is vitally beneficial. No matter how much or how little you do. This week, I want to spread that message, because societal 'big' changes come from small changes. And also because when we have an inclusive and visible breastfeeding culture, we may finally get the resources to support parents to breastfeed and give their babies breastmilk. In the meantime, we will all keep on fighting to support women and families at the grassroots of breastfeeding and lactation.
health

20/03/2023

Sleep and Nightwakening in infants
A few musings on sleep and night time in the first 3 months

29/01/2023

Breastfeeding and giving your baby breastmilk can be so special and so rewarding...but there is a lot of moving parts to establishing the road to breastfeeding!
Sometimes your goalposts change...no matter how much preparation you have done!

And just like many aspects of parenting, breastfeeding is a new job, You learn the skills gradually along the way!
You know your baby best and what their needs are, so choosing to breastfeed can look different to what you had imagined.
As long as you are happy and breastfeeding is comfortable for you seek the support that meets your needs!
*If you are experiencing challenges or just not sure how to get to where you would like to be with breastfeeding seek the support of an .