Irish model Alison Canavan (32) is still breastfeeding over eight weeks after giving birth to her baby James Joseph -- and she plans to continue with it.

"It is just so handy for me," she said, pointing out that when she is out and about with baby James she doesn't have to worry about heating bottles.

She found that breastfeeding does get easier. "If you can imagine, it's a brand new thing for you, it's a brand new thing for your baby.

"It's about practice. It's patience. At the end of the day, some children latch on straight away and people have no problems. Some don't latch on. You have to spend an awful lot of time, you are teaching them something new. You are also learning something new.

"Every baby is different. So you might like positions of feeding that don't work for other mothers at all. Your baby might feed longer or shorter. You have to get to know your child and figure out what works for you."

Alison believes there is not enough support for breastfeeding. "I would never, ever tell anyone they should or shouldn't do anything. But I think that we are not encouraged enough."

She feels that breastfeeding in public or in restaurants or cafes is frowned upon in Ireland.

"We need to make it more comfortable for mothers. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world and it's the most natural way of your baby getting the best nutrients it can.

"I had an amazing midwife in the Coombe Women's Hospital. She sat with me for hours, being so patient, saying 'Alison, you are determined to do it and because you are determined to do it, it will happen'."

She also had a lactation consultant come out to her when she went home.

Baby James was born on September 16. Alison had planned to breastfeed for three months, but now says she will continue for as long as she can.

According to the Health Service Executive, breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from ailments such as gastroenteritis, respiratory, urinary tract and ear infections, asthma, eczema and childhood diabetes. Mothers also benefit, with lower risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.

However, breastfeeding rates in Ireland are amongst the lowest in Europe.

Earlier this year, model Gisele Bundchen (30) sparked controversy when she said that: "There should be a worldwide law that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months."

But she later wrote on her blog that her intention in commenting on the importance of breastfeeding has nothing to do with the law. She said she understood everyone had their own experience and opinions and she was not there to judge.

- Fiona Dillon