pregnancy & baby festival

O'Reilly Hall, UCD, Dublin
22-23 February 2014, 10am - 5pm

Talks Line Up

We have an exciting range of talks, performances and discussions taking place in our talks room at babytalk. Our contributors will be covering a wide range of topics – from sleep and nutrition to the quirks of the Irish Mammy!

Talks are approx 25 minutes long and are designed to be clear, accessible and informative introductions to the topics below. We’ve allowed time for questions too so don’t be shy!

Saturday Talks Line up

Parent Talk – Welcoming a new baby to your family
11am on Saturday 22nd

Dr. David J Carey, Consulting Psychologist and Newstalk Contributor

  • Adjusting to the changes a new baby brings
  • Changes in relationships when a baby arrives
  • Helping older siblings adjust to the new baby

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Options Talk – Birth choices in Ireland & birth plans/preferences
12 noon on Saturday 22nd

Mary Tighe, Aromatherapist, Doula, GentleBirth Instructor and owner of BirthingMamas

  • An overview of options available to women giving birth in Ireland
  • Introduction to birth plans/preferences
  • How to access further information

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Ireland’s Got Mammies – The Irish Mammies Show
1pm on Saturday 22nd

Colm O’Regan, Author and Comedian

Stand up comedy show based on the @irishmammies twitter account and best selling Irish Mammies books.


Feeding baby in the early days
2pm on Saturday 22nd

Dr Genevieve Becker, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, MINDI, Infant & Young Child Feeding Consultant

  • What to consider when making a decision on how to feed your baby
  • How to get breastfeeding off to a good start?
  • What’s “normal” related to feeding?
  • What if feeding isn’t going well? Where can I get help?

Birth Talk – Overview of stages of labour
3pm on Saturday 22nd

Fiona Rea, Dip HE Antenatal Education, IBCLC, Breastfeeding Counsellor & Doula
Sarah McCann, Midwife & Antenatal Educator at Cuidiú – The Irish Childbirth Trust

  • The stages of labour
  • When to go to the hospital or call your midwife
  • Options for pain management

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Introducing baby to more than milk
4pm on Saturday 22nd

Dr Genevieve Becker, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, MINDI, Infant & Young Child Feeding Consultant

  • When is baby ready for food and signs to look out for
  • What foods to introduce first
  • How to offer food to baby

Sunday Talks Line up

Trying Talk – Women’s health, fertility & trying to conceive
11am on Sunday 23rd

Dr. Deirdre Lundy GP in Bray Women’s Health Centre & Educator in Sexual & Reproductive Health for ICGP

  • Understanding your cycle and your fertility
  • General tips on how to increase chances of conceiving
  • An introduction to issues couples encounter when trying to conceive

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Bump Talk – Pregnancy nutrition
12 noon on Sunday 23rd

Sarah Keogh MSc., BSc., MINDI., Dietitian at the Early Feeding Clinic

  • Importance of good nutrition during pregnancy
  • Folic acid and other supplements
  • Foods to avoid while pregnant
  • Nutrition for new mums

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Ireland’s Got Mammies – The Irish Mammies Show
1pm on Sunday 23rd

Colm O’Regan, Author and Comedian

Stand up comedy show based on the @irishmammies twitter account and best selling Irish Mammies books.


Irish Daddies – Information for Dads & Partners
2pm on Sunday 23rd

Dan Oakes, Midwife & Founder of Neighbourhood Midwives

  • Common parent and parent-to-be worries and concerns
  • Bonding with baby
  • What to do if mum-to-be goes into labour
  • Supporting Mum through pregnancy, labour and after birth

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Baby Talk – Understanding your baby
3pm on Sunday 23rd

Sue Jameson, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant & Parent Support Counsellor at Cuidiú – The Irish Childbirth Trust

  • Realistic sleep expectations
  • Dispelling myths about baby behavior
  • Common parent worries about young babies

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Panel discussion: Good Information V’s Bad Advice –  online parenting support and information
4pm on Sunday 23rd of February 2014

Chair: Niamh Healy, Cuidiú Antenatal Teacher, Tutor & Co-Author of www.bump2babe.ie, The Consumer Guide to Maternity Services in Ireland
Sylda Dwyer (Blogger), Lisa Healy (Blogger at mama.ie), Krysia Lynch (AIMSI, 42weeks.ie, HBA & Doula), Emily Manning (Editor of eumom.ie)

  • Outline of the main types of resources available to Irish parents and parents-to-be online
  • The drawbacks and downsides of the online parenting world and how to spot and negotiate these
  • The positive aspects of the online parenting community

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