Caoimhe Whelan, IBCLC

17/11/2025

Yes! I am still seeing clients! I just have limited availability for the next couple of months and I often forget to update my website 🙈

I have finally upated it though (www.latch.ie) with my availability for antenatal and postnatal breastfeeding consultations, either on zoom or at the lovely office I share with above in Churchtown, Dublin 14.

You can book on my website or email me at caoimhew@gmail.com. Thanks 😊

11/11/2025

Audre Lorde was an American writer, poet, activist, feminist and academic. I love her work. If you'd like to know a little bit more about her, I'd suggest starting with her fascinating memoir, 'Zami: A New Spelling of My Name'.

The above quote, a reflection by Lorde on raising her two children, is from an essay by Lorde 'Turning the Beat Around: Le***an Parenting 1986' included in her collections 'I Am Your Sister: Collected and Unpublished Writings of Audre Lorde'.

10/11/2025

This book 'Unraveling Motherhood: Understanding Your Experience Through Self-Reflection, Self-Care and Authenticity' is by Irish journalist and writer Geraldine Walsh

It is a guide for self-reflection on the experiece of being a mother, having become a mother, all the factors that shape that experience and how you feel about it. I like the way it is structured and the way that each chapter has a little section at the end to encourage self-reflection, or unraveling your motherhood identity. The book explores societal notions and myths about what it is to be a mother (eg perfect Vs good enough), the process of becoming a mother and mental health challenges.

The chapters are really nicely laid out, so you could read the book cover, or dip in and out - there are little nuggets of wisdom on every page.

Here's a little excert from the book which I particularly like

"We perhaps do not acknowledge how vulnerable motherhood can make us. Pregnancy and birth physically pick us apart piece by piece and motherhood psychologically reconnects us in a twisted, unrecognisable fashion, rearranging us entirely. There is a beauty and honesty in pregnancy, birth and motherhood but we are ultimately raw and exposed".

14/10/2025

I was very lucky to receive an invitation to the breastfeeding event in the Aras, hosted by Ireland's first lady Sabina Higgins. Nicola (author of the chapter in my book on pumps and pumping) was my plus one. All the voluntary and advocacy breastfeeding organisations in Ireland were represented, including Gaza Infant Nutrition Alliance (GINA) which supports mother/baby dyads in Gaza with feeding.

13/10/2025

The received wisdom* that many of us in the breastfeeding world have absorbed is that women make more breastmilk in consecutive lactations. The thinking is that there is increased growth of glandular tissue during each pregnancy, and that that means more milk.

This Australian study sought to investigate this theory. It compared milk intake over 24 hr periods in infants between 2 weeks and 6 months, with the same measurements for a subsequent baby (the 2 lactations were 2.3 +/- 0.9 years apart). Total milk intake was calculated using pre and post feed weighing by the mothers.

It was found that there was no significant difference between the data for the first and second lactation for the mothers who were exclusively breastfeeding. For mothers in the study who were partially breastfeeding, a small increase in milk production was observed.

The study concludes by saying that

- in exclusively breastfeeding women there is no effect of consecutive lactation on 24 hr milk production.

- women that supplement with formula may have a higher milk production in a subsequent lactation, provided there are no intrinsic causes of low milk supply. The study seems to suggest that the increased milk production could be attributed to breastfeeding education and support.

Please note: Participants in this study did not have underlying causes of low milk supply. We need another study that explores milk production in consecutive lactations in mothers who have IGT.

Did you make more milk with second or subsequent babies?

I've seen mothers with low milk supply who seemed to have a slightly better supply with second or third babies. But I think that was more to do with the effort they put in to breastfeeding & optimising milk production, than having more glandular tissue.

Warden, A. H., Sakalidis, V. S., McEachran, J. L., Lai, C. T., Perrella, S. L., Geddes, D. T., & Gridneva, Z. (2025). Consecutive Lactation, Infant Birth Weight and S*x Do Not Associate with Milk Production and Infant Milk Intake in Breastfeeding Women. Nutrients, 17(6), 1062

*something that people accept as true, without question

09/10/2025

It was a lovely morning at Aras an Uachtarain. I was there for the latch on event that Sabina Higgins has been hosting for a number of years to celebrate national breastfeeding week. I'm not sure when the first one was held - maybe 10/11 years ago. I've been twice already - once representing Cuidiu and once representing the Association of Lactation Consultant of Ireland. Today I was representing myself, the author of 'Practical Breastfeeding: An Illustrated Guide for Parents'. (author of chapter 10 in Pumps and Pumping) was my plus one.

The best thing about today? Seeing so many gorgeous breastfed babies 🥰 🤱

It was also particularly good to see a representative from GINA .infant.nutrition.alliance speak about GINA's work in Gaza (I'm afraid I didn't catch her name).

08/10/2025

The Irish Trade and Professional Association for Doulas .ie and Roberta Hynes has very kindly funded the purchase of 20 copies of 'Practical Breastfeeding: An Illustrated Guide for Parents' for distribution to breastfeeding volunteers/healthcare professionals/student midwives or PHNs/maternity settings/breastfeeding orgs.

I've already given a copy to the neonatal unit in The Coombe Hospital.

Please DM if you'd like a copy.

07/10/2025

The goal of this Chinese cross-sectional study was to investigate factors that influence the volume of milk a baby takes during a breastfeed. 162 nursing dyads, with babies aged 1 - 12 months, participated in the study.

It was found that sucking time, current infant body weight and the breast side used for feeding are key factors influencing breastmilk intake during a single breastfeeding session.

The median milk intake when babies fed on the right side was 60mls, while the median intake when babies fed on the left side was 48mls. So if you think your right breast produces more milk than your left, you're not alone.

Another interesting number in the study is the median feed volume - 55 mls. This means that the biggest number of babies drank 55ml during their breastfeed. The range was 30.5 - 80 mls. Test weight was used to determine the volume of milk transferred.

The median sucking time was found to be 8 minutes, with a range of 5 to 10 minutes.

The authors say they let babies feed for as long as they wanted but isn't clear on whether the babies were offered a second breast. There are some questions I'd love to ask them about their methods!

The study is open acccess at International Breastfeeding Journal:
Gu, L., D**g, L. and Chen, H., 2025. Relationships of breast milk intake during one breastfeeding session with sucking time and other determinants: a cross-sectional study. International Breastfeeding Journal, 20(1), p.70.

06/10/2025

To celebrate National Breastfeeding Week 2025, I have a copy of 'Practical Breastfeeding: An Illustrated Guide for Parents' to give away. To enter the draw, follow my Instagram page and tag a friend under this post.

I will select a winner on Wednesday. I can send a copy of the book to a winner anywhere in the UK or Ireland - direct to the winner or to someone nominated by the winner (eg a pregnant friend or a breastfeeding professional/volunteer).

06/10/2025

Most people put quite a bit of time and thought into their birth preferences or birth plan, but a lot fewer consider what their feeding preferences might be.

You don't have to have a 'feeding preferences plan', but if you do, it is an effective way of communicating what you want and how you want to be supported by hospital staff.

A feeding preferences could be as simple as

"I really want to breastfeed and would appreciate as much help as possible".

Or it might be more specific, depending on your circumstances, health status or previous breastfeeding experience.

For example, if you had a difficult experience breastfeeding a previous baby, and you hope to get off to a better start this time around, it could be helpful to include something like

"I had a difficult time establishing breastfeeding with my first baby. I didn't get skin to skin, and he had to go to the NICU. I would really appreciate some help with latching and establishing mill production from midwives this time".

In my expereince, staff sometimes assume that because it's not your first baby you know what you're dping and don't require as much help with breastfeeding.

The feedback I get from clients who have add feeding preferences to their hospital file is overwhelmingly positive. Staff (as far as I can see) go the extra mile for you when you communicate in your preferences what you want.

I've included a section in my book about feeding preferences.

03/10/2025

A fantastic review of 'Practical Breastfeeding: An Illustrated Guide for Parents' on Rollercoaster

"While Caoimhe is a breastfeeding advocate, she is also a champion of parents. Her book, Practical Breastfeeding, gives parents who are interested in breastfeeding their babies the information and advice, and certain tools to take on nursing without apprehension or fear.

Caoimhe’s real-life personality is mirrored in her book, which makes it my number one recommendation for nursing advice to parents-to-be and new parents.

The book is enhanced with beautiful and powerful illustrations by artist and mother Lauren Rebbeck, featuring a wonderfully diverse range of breastfeeding parents, included throughout the book in a ‘no big deal’ way.

The sub-title is indeed ‘An Illustrated Guide for Parents’, and the images really do help with the experience of the book. Combined with Caoimhe’s friendly, expert-led prose, every chapter covers every question breastfeeding people might have about nursing their babies. From the first feed to extended breastfeeding, from using social media to ‘outside the box lactation, every aspect is covered and dealt with in a matter-of-fact, balanced way.

It is clearly laid out and well sign-posted so readers can dip in and out as they please, and the language is accessible and inclusive.

I absolutely loved the book, and I do truly wish it had existed when I had my baby boy. So, I wholeheartedly recommend it; you won’t need any other breastfeeding guide."

Practical Breastfeeding by Caoimhe Whelan is the book I wish had existed when I started thinking about breastfeeding.

02/10/2025

Thank you and for your lovely review of 'Practical Breastfeeding: An Ilustrated Guide for Parents' in the latest issue of the Elacta magazine.

"The emphasis is not only on breastfeeding techniques, but also on adjustment to parenthood, unrealistic expectations, coping mechanisms and support."

Elacta is the European Lactation Consultants Alliance, and they publish a really good magazine every quarter. There is an Elacta conference every other year and I think the 2026 one is in Bucharest, Romania. I'm kinda of thinking of going - anyone else want to join me??

For more information on Elacta, see the website www.elacta.eu

Practical Breastfeeding is available in most good bookshops and online. The chapter on pumps and pumping was written by and the 300+ illustrations were by .