Ms. Louise Gallagher
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery

Projects

• Title
  • The national infant feeding survey
• Summary
  • This is a national survey which commenced in April 2008. The purpose of this study is to provide baseline data on the rate of exclusive and partial breastfeeding at 3-4 months and 6-7 months following birth. To ascertain what factors influence a decision to breastfeed or not and to determine the reasons given by women for stopping breastfeeding at all stages.
• Funding Agency
  • Health Service executive
• Date From
  • April 2008
• Date To
  • 2009

• Title
  • The Rotunda and the Women of North Inner City Dublin:
• Summary
  • Aim of study: to assess if the Rotunda is meeting the maternity and gynaecology needs of women in the north inner city Dublin
• Funding Agency
  • Rotunda hospital and Dublin City Council
• Date From
  • August 07
• Date To
  • July 08

• Title
  • Peer supporters perceptions of a breastfeeding education programme
• Summary
  • The aim of this study is to assess the perceptions of a group of peer supporters in relation to the education programme. This research inquiry will be guided by the principles of Action Research (A.R.) as described by Rolfe (1998).

• Title
  • Sub-optimal breastfeeding experience and its effects on women, factors affecting initiation and duration of breastfeeding in Ireland
• Summary
  • There is extensive evidence for the long and short-term benefits of breastfeeding for both the mother and infant. Comprehensive national information regarding infant feeding practices in Ireland has been limited. Aims: This study was designed to examine rates of exclusive and partial breastfeeding at 48 hours after birth, 3-4 months and 6-7 months postnatal and to identify factors that influence a decision to breastfeed. It also aimed to explore unsatisfactory breastfeeding experiences among the survey group, and the potential impact that these might have on future infant feeding choices for those women who discontinued breastfeeding in the early postpartum period. Methodology: Mixed-methods research, underpinned by a pragmatist philosophy, was chosen as the most appropriate method to address the research question as it enabled the development of a complete and full understanding of the factors affecting initiation and duration of breastfeeding. application of the results in a manner that could bring about positive consequences for breastfeeding in Ireland. Findings: The results showed that the initiation and duration of breastfeeding in the study cohort remained well below other European countries, with just over half of the women initiating breastfeeding (56%) and less than one in five (19%) fully breastfeeding at 3-4 months of age. Exclusive breastfeeding was reported by 13% (n=61) of the 461 mothers who responded to Phase 3. This is just 6% of the 1002 mothers who responded to Phase 2 and who had breastfed their infants at birth. The compelling relationship between maternal socio-demographic characteristics and breastfeeding initiation was once again demonstrated by the results of this study. Without exception, having a higher socio-economic status clearly favours breastfeeding at birth. In particular, mothers' health-insurance status mediates the effect of several other variables and has been found in this study to be an important factor in the determinant of initiation of breastfeeding initiation. Vivid accounts of personal failure and guilt were portrayed by women who had had a suboptimal encounter with breastfeeding. Women defined this failure as not having achieved their breastfeeding goals in relation to the targets that they had set for themselves. Findings from this study have confirmed that the messages currently conveyed around the superiority of breastfeeding also lead to significant guilt for women when they have a short and unsatisfactory breastfeeding encounter. Women in the present study viewed the widely adopted health-promotion message of 'breast is best' as a contributor to idealistic and often unrealistic notions of the ease of breastfeeding. The qualitative aspect of the present study highlights significant deficiencies in the current level and quality of postnatal support for breastfeeding. It is also evident that breastfeeding is inextricably linked to being a 'good mother', and that cessation compounds a sense of failure in both mothering abilities and the skill of breastfeeding. Furthermore, the results show that pain may have significant and long-lasting implications for mothers when considering future infant feeding choices. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate multiple social and cultural factors pertinent to initiation and duration and have implications for breastfeeding promotion and policy together with delivery of existing antenatal and postnatal services. Achieving the recommendations of this study, designed to promote, support and change the culture of breastfeeding in Ireland will begin to bring about the significant shift required, to improve rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration.
• Funding Agency
  • HRB
• Date From
  • March 2008
• Date To
  • 31st March 2012

• Title
  • The factors affecting initiation and duration of breastfeeding in Ireland.
• Summary
  • The findings of a research study on the factors affecting initiation and duration of breastfeeding in Ireland study were communicated to the original participants, midwives and other key stakeholders including the HSE, National breastfeeding co-ordinator and breastfeeding peer supporters in a series of workshops. These workshops took place at four venues round the country. These seminars were an opportunity to enhance the understanding of the results and bring about a change in how mothers and stakeholders communicate about breastfeeding and used a video to give an overview of the findings and recommendations from the study. The dissemination revealed that women and participants agreed with the studies main findings and suggested that priority should be given to providing breastfeeding support to first time mothers at every feed in the first few days, to reduce the incidence of feeding challenges at this time. Priority was also given by participants to the need to continue such support in the initial days following birth and provide continued help from midwives following discharge from hospital.
• Funding Agency
  • HRB
• Date From
  • Nov 2012
• Date To
  • Dec 2013

• Title
  • Factors which enable Irish women to continue breastfeeding for six months: an international comparison with Sweden and Australia.
• Summary
  • Background Evidence from a systematic review has confirmed the benefits of breast milk for infant health, further supporting optimal duration for exclusive breastfeeding continuing to six months (Kramer & Kakuma, 2012). Although many countries have promising initiation rates such as 98% for Sweden, 96% for Australia and 81% for the United Kingdom (Save the Children, 2012) prevalence rates are not as encouraging. National data from Ireland suggests that less than 7% of breastfeeding women are breastfeeding at 6 months (Begley et al, 2008), reflecting low initiation and continuation rates in this context. To be effective, breastfeeding support should ideally be tailored to the needs of the setting and population (Renfrew et al., 2012). Further research is warranted to address what enables women to breastfeeding for six months and this proposed study will add to our knowledge by exploring Irish, Swedish and Australian women's perceptions. This exploratory qualitative study used critical incident techniques which have been used to evaluate consumer expectations and perceptions in health care (Kemppainen, 2000). Women who breastfed a recent child for a minimum of six months were invited to participate. Recruitment occurred through advertisements in local newspapers and on social networking platforms. Sampling was purposive initially in all sites, followed by snowball sampling. Three hundred and forty seven women participated in digitally recorded telephone interviews (64 in Ireland, 130 in Sweden and 153 in Australia). The critical incidents demonstrated that across the three contexts there are varying results surrounding enablers related to continuation of breastfeeding.
• Funding Agency
  • Curtin University, Australia
• Date From
  • 01.6.15
• Date To
  • 27.5.16

• Title
  • The effects of frenotomy on breastfeeding variables in newborn infants with ankyloglossia
• Summary
  • A before and after prospective comparative cohort study is being carried out to To determine the associated effects (if any) that frenotomy may have on breastfeeding variables1 in infants with ankyloglossia, and, to determine factors that influence breastfeeding women's decision-making in choosing frenotomy for their infants. Breastfeeding variables will be determined at baseline (i.e. prior to the frenotomy procedure) following a woman's decision for her infant to undergo frenotomy. One month post-frenotomy, breastfeeding variables in women who return the baseline survey will be determined and comparisons made.
• Date From
  • 25.3.15

• Title
  • A Review of the Baby Friendly Health Initiative in Ireland
• Funding Agency
  • Health Service Executive
• Date From
  • Feb 2016
• Date To
  • 17.10.16

• Title
  • Women's experiences of the Rotunda Hospital's Next Birth After Caesarean Section (NBAC) services
• Summary
  • The Rotunda hospital established a Next Birth After Caesarean Section (NBAC) service in August 2015, as part of the Community Midwifery Team (CMT) services. The hospital now plans to extend the service, and offer it to all eligible women attending the hospital through the public maternity care system. The NBAC antenatal clinics/services are unique in Ireland and are not available in any of the other 18 maternity hospitals. To date, more than 400 women have attended the NBAC clinics but, while anecdotal opinion suggests women are satisfied/highly satisfied with the services offered, their actual experiences have never been evaluated formally. The research aims to evaluate a sub-sample of women's experience of the NBAC services (n=20-25) through one-to-one interviews. Outcomes will include women's overall experiences of this aspect of their antenatal care, and how it prepared/did not prepare them for this birth. In addition, the research will evaluate their experiences of accessing (the process and timing of referral) and attending the services (clinic locations, schedule and timing of appointments etc.)
• Funding Agency
  • Rotunda Foundation
• Date From
  • July 2018

• Title
  • Risk factors for and outcomes associated with reduced fetal movements in pregnancy: a matched cohort study
• Summary
  • A prospective matched cohort study exploring risk factors and pregnancy, labour and birth, and neonatal outcomes in women experiencing reduced fetal movements at or beyond 28 weeks of pregnancy
• Funding Agency
  • PhD studentship
• Date From
  • Mar 2017
• Date To
  • Feb 2021

• Title
  • Reducing caesarean section rates in Ireland: a feasibility study and pilot randomised trial of an evidence based intervention designed to reduce unnecessary caesarean section
• Summary
  • Reducing caesarean section rates in Ireland: a feasibility study and Cluster randomised pilot-feasibility trial aimed at reducing caesarean section rates in Ireland
• Funding Agency
  • HRB
• Date From
  • Oct 2017
• Date To
  • Sept 2020

• Title
  • Breastfeeding Support Groups in Ireland: A mixed methods investigation from a Cultural Historical Activity Theory perspective
• Summary
  • A mixed methods study which investigated the role and impact of Breastfeeding Support Groups from the mothers' perspective.
• Funding Agency
  • PhD Studentship
• Date From
  • Feb 2014
• Date To
  • Sep 2019

• Title
  • Key issues for staff in the implementation, compliance and audit of the use of IMEWS Tool
• Summary
  • To identify key issues for staff in the implementation, compliance and audit of the use of Irish Maternity Early Warning System (IMEWS), and explore the provision and impact of IMEWS education and training of staff, at a local and national level.
• Funding Agency
  • HRB
• Date From
  • July 2019
• Date To
  • Sept 2019

• Title
  • scoping review of the breastfeeding research conducted/being conducted in the Republic of Ireland since 2020
• Funding Agency
  • TCD, SNM
• Date From
  • May 2023
• Date To
  • Sept 2023

• Title
  • Audit of breastfeeding support service
• Summary
  • Auditing activity with clinical colleagues in affiliated HSP to evaluate a new breastfeeding service. Currently unfunded but larger funded project planned for late 2024/2025
• Date From
  • February 2024