Aileen Howell from Dunleer, Co Louth, is one of a few Irish mums who believe that breastfeeding up to two years is good for your child. Son, Jack (six) and daughter, Charis (four) were breast-fed for nearly that length. Baby Sam, who is 23 months, is being weaned and Aileen (32) plans to breastfeed her new baby due in August.

Aileen and husband Stephen (33) are in the minority of parents in Ireland who maintain the "breast is best" ideal past the usual six-months stage.

Aileen is among a mere 2.4pc of women here who are breastfeeding for more than the recommended time. That's according to figures from the National Infant Feeding Survey carried out by Trinity College Dublin on behalf of the HSE.

The study found that Irish mothers are less likely to start breastfeeding than any other nationality. Of those that started breastfeeding 35pc had stopped two weeks after the birth.

One month after birth around 55pc were exclusively formula feeding. At four months, 19pc were only breastfeeding and 15pc were partially breastfeeding.

It means Ireland continues to have the shortest breastfeeding rates in the world, due mainly to lack of proper facilities, public perception and hectic lifestyles. We are even going against the World Health Organisation, which recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months followed by the introduction of solids with breastfeeding continuing for up to two years of age or beyond.

Aileen's reasons for breastfeeding started with her desire for good health. "I had very bad asthma, lung trouble and allergies as a child," she says. "I read that breastfeeding would help to reduce the risks of these illnesses for my babies.

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"We had a good few problems in the early days but then I got in contact with La Leche League of Ireland at five weeks and they were a great support.

"The first time I breastfed Jack in public, I felt as if I had a beacon on my head," says Aileen. "Now, if I don't make an issue of it, other people won't."

Is breastfeeding a natural urge for Aileen, and why did she keep doing it for so long? "I go along the lines of 'if it ain't broke, don' fix it'. It also suited our lifestyle.

"My children are very rarely sick and are all confident and outgoing." What about dad, did he feel left out? "People said to him that he wouldn't bond. But there are other things he can do.

"After Jack was born, I was due to go back to work," says Aileen, "but it was a long commute and, with the breastfeeding, I didn't see how it would work." So she set up a business selling maternity clothes at www.Bumpbasics.com.

According to the WHO the benefits for breastfeeding women are a reduced risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers. "It releases all the happy hormones," smiles Aileen.

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