Frequently Asked Questions

What is PumpPal?

PumpPal is a not-for-profit initiative to assist breastfeeding mums of sick and premature babies in Irish hospitals by providing them with support kits.

A 6 month pilot was held in 2018 in CHI at Crumlin, Dublin. 250 PumpPals were created through fundraising. They were delivered to the hospital and staff distributed them to mums of sick babies over 6 months. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive from both staff and families.

In September 2019, PumpPal launched as a not-for-profit company: selling PumpPals to the public for friends and family in need, with a view to selling to hospitals also in future. 


Why is it called PumpPal?

The majority of hospitalised babies cannot physically breastfeed as they are too unwell. If a mum wishes to continue breastfeeding her baby, a breast pump is usually required. It is extremely challenging to learn how to express breast milk while also caring for a sick child and managing the emotional challenges it can present.
In addition to this, many sick and premature babies are transferred to a children's or maternity hospital for specialised care: so parents often find themselves without family or a support network nearby. The title of the initiative combines 'Pump' with 'Pal' to focus on the motivation behind it: to provide support to mums.

How will my purchase be spent?

On the 'Buy Now' page, you can choose to purchase a PumpPal to be posted to your loved one's hospital ward today or fund a PumpPal for a mum in need in a 'Pay-it-Forward' capacity. Your purchase also will assist us to create more PumpPals in future to continue supporting breastfeeding mums of sick and premature babies in Irish hospitals. 

​Thank you so much for your generosity and support. Please follow our story on social media and help us spread the word about PumpPal.