Young mum opens up about her breastfeeding journey

Ellie Hynds from Dromore, Co Down has opened up about her breastfeeding journey with her baby Arielle and has teamed up with the Public Health Agency (PHA) to help encourage other young mothers to reach out for support if they need it.

Ellie found out she was pregnant when she was 15-years-old. She said: “That was a shock to the system and I didn’t know about any of the services available for me at all, which was very scary.  

“It was really helpful when I found out about the Family Nurse Partnership. I was paired up with a lovely woman called Olivia and she supported me all throughout my journey. She even taught me how to breastfeed using a crochet boob.

“Everybody tells you that breastfeeding is hard but that didn’t hit me until I had Arielle. I had so much help right from when I was in hospital and still to this day. Now, two years later, I’m still breastfeeding Arielle.

“Having a baby young or at any age can be really daunting. It’s challenging, but there is so much support available and I’d definitely recommend just reaching out and asking for help. No one is going to judge you. I’ve been through the experience and I have been given so much support from my family, partner and healthcare professionals – more than I could have ever asked for.”

The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is a voluntary preventative programme for teenage mothers. FNP offers intensive and structured home visiting, delivered by specially trained ‘family nurses’, from early pregnancy until the child is two.

The PHA introduced the FNP programme to Northern Ireland in 2010 and it is now delivered in all of the Trusts. The support provided by the family nurses has resulted in an improvement in breastfeeding rates for young mothers who are on the programme.

Ellie’s Family Nurse, Olivia Delaney, who works at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, said Ellie is an inspiration for other young mothers. She said: “I have been supporting Ellie right from the beginning of her pregnancy and I’ve watched her grow and flourish into the brilliant mother she is today. She is a highly motivated young parent and is now helping other young mothers in our programme as they embark on their breastfeeding journeys which has been so lovely to see.”

Catherine Magennis, Nurse Consultant and regional lead for FNP, said: “As we can see from Ellie’s experience, there are many people and programmes out there to support breastfeeding mothers. Any period of breastfeeding at all, however long that may be, will benefit you and your baby.

“It can take a few weeks for a mother and baby to get used to breastfeeding and it’s a skill that is learned over time. We all have a role in supporting breastfeeding mothers and creating a supportive environment makes continuing to breastfeed more likely.”

Catherine concluded: “When partners, families, workplaces, and communities show their support for breastfeeding, mothers are more likely to continue for longer. This is something that we are beginning to see happen more often which is great, and we’d like to see this continue.”

To find out more about supporting a family member, friend or colleague on their breastfeeding journey, visit www.breastfedbabies.org for information and advice.

To find out more about FNP, visit www.pha.site/FamilyNursePartnership