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Mamas in Ireland!

post #1 of 25
10/2/08 at 10:35am
Thread Starter 
Where is everybody?!

I know there are quite a few Irish mamas on MDC...because I've met a few of you!

My husband and I are once AGAIN considering moving back to Ireland. He is from Co. Tyrone but right now we both live in Florida. A couple years ago we were ready to move back, but then we watched in horror as the house prices went up and up and up. We are not ready to buy a house yet anyway, but it kinda scarred us at the time.

I am a childbirth educator and birth & postpartum doula working on my certifications. By the time we moved back to Ireland, if we move back, I will be completely certified. I was happy to see that doulas are getting more recognition in Ireland, and there is even a DONA doula trainer in Dublin! Her website is here: Doula Ireland

I'm even more excited, though, because you no longer have to be a nurse before you can become a midwife in Ireland!!!!!!!!!!!! : I had been anxiously watching the Homebirth Association of Ireland website waiting for some news about Ireland licensing Direct Entry Midwives to work in Ireland. Come to find out, the website hadn't been updated in a few years, and now there are like seven universities in Ireland that offer Registered Midwife programs! This is such wonderful news for Ireland!! I'm hoping these programs will allow more women to choose homebirth if they so desire.

Of course, I'm also excited because this means that if we do move back to Ireland before I become a midwife here in the states, I can pursue my midwifery education in Ireland. Yay! :

And lastly, I hear La Leche League of Ireland is growing, as well! This is great news for mothers and babies across the country! Hopefully with this added help, more mamas will breastfeed! Right now, Ireland has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the whole European Union, but fingers crossed that will change, soon!

Ok, well I guess I was just posting this information for new Irish mamas that stumble across this section of the forum and are looking for local information about natural birth and parenting. Hope to hear from some of you soon!

BTW, if we move back, we will probably be going back to the North, but we'll be south of the border this time (well, west of the border) in Donegal.
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post #2 of 25
10/2/08 at 3:25pm
Just wanted to say a quick Hello! I'm originally from Co. Monaghan - not too far from Tyrone. Will be back there again in Dec for a visit. Donegal is lovely if you end up moving there. Good luck!
post #3 of 25
10/5/08 at 6:16pm
I'm here. Living in Dublin though.

Don't forget babywearingireland. We have a huge babywearing community here, even had our own wrap made by Girasol (it was designed by one of the BWI mums).
post #4 of 25
10/8/08 at 2:22pm
Thread Starter 
rahans, I absolutely LOVE Monaghan. One of the pretties places, I think...that and Wicklow. I love Wicklow, too!

erika, are you native to Dublin? I'll have to check out babywearingireland...didn't even know it existed!

Where are the rest of the Irish mamas? I know you're all here somewhere!
post #5 of 25
10/15/08 at 1:21pm
I'm another one! Though unfortunately not living there right now. We're in Prague, but I'm seriously trying to convince my DH to move back to Ireland now that we've had a baby (wish I'd done it before we had her, but that's another story).
One of the main reasons I'd like to move back home is that it's much more liberal in terms of personal choices; for example I don't have to get my DD vaccinated (vaccinations are compulsory in the Czech Republic so much for informed consent). I have family in Kilkenny, but we'd probably end up having to live in Dublin - the only place that seems to have any jobs in our field. And Dublin is sooooo expensive!!
Donegal is beautiful!
post #6 of 25
10/15/08 at 6:14pm
Hello

I'm Tracy from Doula Ireland. Just a quick note to tell you the Direct Entry Midwifery program is fantastic. I started in September and am really enjoying it !!

Best of luck with your move !!

Tracy
post #7 of 25
12/3/08 at 9:53am
hi im in galway anyone in the west?
post #8 of 25
12/16/08 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rania View Post
hi im in galway anyone in the west?
Galway here too And floating around on babywearingireland a lot too
post #9 of 25
2/17/09 at 12:53pm
Hi guys!

I'm from Monaghan too - who knew there were so many of us . I'm living in Atlanta GA right now with my hubby and our new baby girl of 10 weeks! I have to be honest and say I really miss home since I've had the baby. I guess it's the support that comes from the extended family that I'd have over there and simple things like being able to go down town for a walk with the little one and call in on friends and neighbours! Here everything's so spread out and it takes an age to go anywhere! That's why I love my online communities!

Ingrid:
post #10 of 25
4/6/09 at 3:05am

Possibly moving to Dublin!

Hello Irish mamas! I am currently living in Portland, Oregon with my husband and two daughters. We may be moving to Dublin in the near future, and are looking to meet other families in the area!
post #11 of 25
4/23/09 at 7:20pm
I'm from Cork like!
post #12 of 25
5/2/09 at 4:51pm
Hello Irish mamas!

I'm from Belgium but my DBF is from Cork and we're visiting Ireland in the summer

I really look forward to it so I just felt like posting here
(well, we'll be doing a lot of in-laws visiting, which i'm not looking forward to that much, but hopefully I'll get to see a bit of the country this time too!)

Some quick questions:
Is there any great great shops (babywearing, cloth diapering supplies, ecofriendly toys, organic baby care stuff, etc) that are not to be missed? In Cork or Dublin (or anywhere else really, we haven't really planned the trip yet so I could plan it around a really great shop )

Also, I read somewhere that Ireland is pretty breastfeeding-un-friendly... is it really that bad? (when my MIL saw me feeding then-3mo dd, she did say "are you still doing THAT" with kind of a disgusted look on her face - but maybe that was just her opinion and not widespread?)
Not that I would be weaning dd or anything , but I'd like to be prepared if I need to expect a lot of dirty looks or comments when NIP...

TIA!
post #13 of 25
5/5/09 at 6:28pm
Hi Leisha,

Ireland is getting better and there are a few shops to check out. Plus the farmers markets. There is one in Dublin that I go to regularly - in the Peoples Park in Dun Laoghaire (it is near the ferry terminal there). Check out Fairly Traded stall. Kylee sells some very funky clothes for kids and babywearing gear.

Then if you are anywhere near Gorey, in Wexford (about an hours drive from Dublin), Little Acorns is the place to check out. It is the retail store of www.babyslingsandoutdoorthings.com and full of slings, sling accessories, organic clothing and the rest.

As for breastfeeding - yes, there are some very negative attitudes. But out in public, I have yet to get a negative response. Some mothers do but the law is on your side.You cannot legally be asked to leave a premises or move to the bathroom. The owners of a store have to side with you against another customers complaint, no ifs or buts. Most people won't even notice, to be honest and just ignore anyone who does. Within families it is a different matter as we don't have a breastfeeding culture at all and do expect lots of "ah sure, she needs a bottle, to help her sleep." or "let her have a bottle so I can feed her". It is more ignorance of breastfeeding than anything else.

Enjoy your visit this summer. Hopefully the weather will be better for you than it was last year.
post #14 of 25
5/9/09 at 8:05pm
Thanks! :
post #15 of 25
5/10/09 at 2:03pm
Hi I'm from Cork but I can't think of any shop in particular for organic, eco friendly baby stuff, I do most of my shopping online!
As for attitudes towards breast feeding, my dd is 18mths old, and I have never had a negative reaction yet. I have had a few comments from family and friends asking am I STILL feeding her, not as a direct put down but more surprise on their part, I usually just answer well I'd hardly let her starve!!! Got that quote from someone here on MDC, it's a good one lol!
post #16 of 25
5/14/09 at 3:07am
Hello all,
I'm married to a lovely Galway man.
post #17 of 25
5/15/09 at 4:12pm
ooo. Galway men are lovely! There were a few of them renting the apartment above ours.

Runnerbean, I get that sometimes too - the surprise that I'm still feeding DD, rather than disgust. You aren't a member of babywearingireland, by any chance? (I just love meeting members at other sites LOL).
post #18 of 25
5/18/09 at 11:36am
Hey Erika, I am on babywearingireland, and we met in Portlaois last yr at the baby wearing event, I'm babymoon on the other site, and I modelled the barabarn sling with my lovely dd Kate
post #19 of 25
5/18/09 at 11:38am
Btw can't believe you are nearly due no 2!!! How are u feeling? I think you were 10 wks back in Nov at the slingmeet?
post #20 of 25
5/18/09 at 11:39am
I don't know why I couldn't have put all these in one post!! But welcome Mrs Burke