When a baby is born sick, or premature every moment matters. 

Instead of taking their newborn home, many parents find themselves navigating hospital wards, medical equipment and sometimes life-changing diagnoses. For mothers whose babies require specialist care, something as natural as breastfeeding can suddenly become incredibly complex. 

Thanks to the generosity of Children’s Health Foundation supporters, every year hundreds of families are receiving practical support at one of the most challenging times of their lives through our Breastfeeding Starter Kit initiative. 

Supporting Mothers When They Need It Most 

Breast milk provides vital nutrition and immune protection for babies and is a critical medical intervention for premature infants, having a profound effect on long-term development and survival rates. 

Every year the neonatal team at Children’s Health Ireland care for many newborn babies due to prematurity, heart conditions, surgery and many other serious illnesses, many of whom are unable to feed directly.  Instead, mothers are encouraged to express breast milk every two to three hours—up to eight times every day—to establish and maintain their milk supply until their baby is well enough to feed. 

In those first precious days, parents are often facing the emotional strain of having a sick baby. Accessing the equipment and information needed to begin expressing breast milk can feel like an additional challenge when families are already under immense pressure. 

That’s where Children’s Health Foundation supporters are making a real difference. 

Practical Support That Makes a Difference 

Funded by Children’s Health Foundation donors, Breastfeeding Starter Kits provide mothers with the essential equipment, practical resources and trusted information they need to begin expressing breast milk as soon as possible. 

Each kit includes practical items alongside educational resources such as breastfeeding guidance, expressing assessment tools, skin-to-skin information and parent support materials, helping families feel informed and supported from the very beginning. 

The packs are distributed across Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and Temple Street, reaching babies in neonatal units, paediatric intensive care units and cardiac services. 

Already Supporting Hundreds of Families 

Since the initiative began in 2025, 360 Breastfeeding Starter Kits have been distributed across CHI at Crumlin and Temple Street. 

Around 30 kits are provided every month, with plans to provide 1,100 kits over the next two years, ensuring even more families receive practical support during their hospital journey. 

Better Outcomes for Babies 

The benefits extend far beyond those first few weeks. 

For vulnerable babies, receiving their mother’s own breast milk has been shown to help reduce infections, support healthy gut development, improve immune function and contribute to better long-term health outcomes. 

Supporting mothers to establish and maintain their milk supply can help reduce the need for donor milk while helping babies transition to breastfeeding when they are medically ready 

Clinical teams across Children’s Health Ireland are already seeing encouraging progress, with breast milk feeding rates continuing to rise. Mothers have also shared that the starter kits provide reassurance, confidence and practical support during an incredibly stressful time. 

Thank You to Our Supporters 

Every Breastfeeding Starter Kit has been made possible thanks to the generosity of Children’s Health Foundation donors. 

Your support is helping families overcome practical barriers, empowering parents during some of the hardest days of their lives and giving Ireland’s sickest babies the very best possible start