New baby changing and feeding stations were inaugurated in Drogheda, County Louth.
The benches were specially developed for parents of babies.
They include armrests for extra comfort and support, with a changing table also attached to each bench, reports RTE.
They are located in St Dominic’s Park in Drogheda and in the grounds of County Louth Hospital in Dundalk.
The community project, which coincides with International Midwifery Week, was led by Gráinne Milne, Head of Midwifery at Louth Hospitals.
Ms Milne said she was inspired by a photo she saw on social media in another country.
She said the goal of the project is to make feeding “more accessible, more public, more normal,” but also to meet parents’ need to change their babies’ diapers when they’re not at home, reports RTE.
Imelda McKenna, a clinical infant feeding midwife and lactation consultant, said the banks could mean a return of community support for mothers.
“It’s a lovely meeting place for mums. Peer support for breast feeding is very important for mothers. There was no community support for the last few years with Covid, so this is a lovely way to get people back out into the community,” she said, reports RTE.
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