The is the third of four articles about ‘ The Best Irish People, Companies or Programmes for Parents’. You can see the first article here and the second article here.
Each year in Ireland there are approximately 54,000 to 55,000 babies are born. Whether it’s new borns, toddlers or school aged children, parents in Ireland are lucky that there are so many companies and programmes stepping up to help make things a bit easier for mums, dads, and carers. There are also services for bereaved people, single parents or parents in difficult circumstances.
Here is the video for Part 3, companies with names beginning with M-Q. You can see more information on each company below:
Petrina O’Halloran, who is originally from Co Galway, set up her ecommerce business, Mama’s Boobie Box (www.mamasboobiebox), which is based at her home in Tulla, Co Clare, in March 2021. An accountant by profession, Petrina was working as a financial controller for Not On The High Street in London, and then remotely in Ireland from August 2020, when she began to research creating her business. Mama’s Boobie Box specialises in breastfeeding products and gift boxes for breastfeeding mums.
Petrina was inspired to create the company after receiving inadequate breastfeeding advice from a young midwife after giving birth to her first child. She resolved to create a gift that would help new mothers to breastfeed should they wish to do so with all the practical essentials a new mum would need for breastfeeding. She resolved to create a gift that would help new mothers to breastfeed should they wish to do so with all the practical essentials a new mum would need for breastfeeding.
The company has recently been featured in Sunday Life Magazine and Irish Examiner
With a bit of research, they realised that although there are many companies catering for the clothing needs of babies and children, there was a distinctive lack of Irish maternity clothing companies which cater for expectant mothers clothing needs, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Hence the reason behind Maternity to Baby. The aspiration is to bring you a collection of unique styles of clothing for pregnancy, breastfeeding and for your new baby, with the emphasis being on quality and comfort”
Mother Tongues, an Irish non-profit organisation, is dedicated to promoting multilingualism and supporting families in raising bilingual and multilingual children. Emphasising the value of linguistic diversity, Mother Tongues seeks to raise awareness about the importance of preserving and celebrating languages beyond English within Ireland.
The organisation’s mission revolves around recognising the crucial role of maintaining proficiency in one’s mother tongue in children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Backed by research demonstrating the cognitive advantages of bilingualism and multilingualism, Mother Tongues equips families with resources, workshops, and support networks to empower parents in fostering their children’s linguistic skills and cultural connections
. Additionally, Mother Tongues actively advocates for the integration of linguistic diversity in education and society, collaborating with various stakeholders to promote language learning opportunities, establish bilingual education programs, and disseminate awareness of the myriad benefits of multilingualism, thus contributing to the creation of a more inclusive and linguistically diverse society throughout Ireland.
My Kids Time (mykidstime.ie) is a trusted digital platform that helps parents find useful information, products, services, and ideas to make family life easier. Established in 2007 and based in Galway, it has grown into one of the most reputable online brands for parents in Ireland. The site offers tailored content and marketing expertise and connects brands with a large, engaged community of parents through digital and social media campaigns. It serves over 2.3 million visitors annually and has a strong social media presence with over 550,000 Facebook followers and millions of monthly Pinterest views. My Kids Time aims to provide parents with trusted advice and support, creating a valued connection with its community by leveraging the experience of being parents themselves.
The platform features a wide range of resources for parents including ideas for kids’ activities, family travel tips, easy recipes, and family events. It also supports charities and organisations that benefit children and families through campaigns and charity votes.
The Mums & Tots Awards celebrate excellence in products and services catering to parents and young children, recognising brands that support families during the early stages of parenthood. The awards empower underrepresented groups by highlighting innovative products that address diverse parenting needs, including those of single parents, LGBTQ+ families, and parents from various cultural backgrounds.
By showcasing a wide range of entries, the awards promote inclusivity and encourage brands to consider the unique challenges faced by different family structures.
This visibility not only supports diverse voices in the parenting community but also inspires companies to develop more inclusive products.
The awards highlight brands that prioritise sustainability in their offerings, such as biodegradable nappies, organic baby food and ethically sourced materials for children’s clothing. By rewarding companies that demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility, the awards encourage innovation in sustainable parenting solutions. For example, past winners have included brands that utilise recycled materials or implement sustainable production processes. This emphasis on sustainability not only benefits the environment but also educates parents about making eco-conscious choices for their families
Lorna Lyons is a former teacher turned digital entrepreneur, dedicated to empowering women—many of whom are midlife mothers—to build passion-led businesses that provide both financial freedom and the flexibility to be present for their growing families. With a First-Class Master’s in Positive Psychology, Lorna successfully transitioned from her lifelong teaching career to create a thriving online coaching and mentoring business. Now, she helps other heart-led women do the same—supporting them in launching and growing businesses that align with their values while giving them the tools to market themselves with confidence.
As the founder of Ireland’s only expert-led, positive psychology-based learning community for women in business, Lorna combines teaching, psychology, and business strategy to support both early-stage and established entrepreneurs.
Her community, The MumBOSS Network, has helped hundreds of women transform their lives over the past two and a half years—spanning industries like healthcare, coaching, holistic therapies, consultancy, mindfulness, wellness, art, and creativity. Beyond launching businesses, Lorna specialises in helping women scale their impact and income by creating successful digital offer suites—including recurring revenue memberships, evergreen courses, online communities, workshops, events, and more.
Mum Talks is a supportive and empowering community founded by childhood friends Lucy O’Driscoll Edge and Kara Heriot, created to help mothers navigate the complex journey of motherhood. It offers a range of in-person and online events, meet-ups, workshops, and talks where mums can connect, share experiences, and gain insights from experts. The platform focuses on addressing the needs of mothers as individuals, acknowledging the massive transition that motherhood brings, rather than focusing solely on the baby. Topics covered include career confidence, relationship coaching, mindfulness, health and fitness, and parenting support.
Mum Talks has grown into a trusted network that also partners with organisations like The Irish Times and New Ireland to deliver focused workshops, such as “Return to Work with Confidence,” designed to empower women in their personal and professional lives after maternity.
Mummy Cooks / Yoga Mamas
Elaine also offers baby-led Baby Massage classes, teaching parents how to soothe and bond with their infants while addressing common concerns like reflux and teething. Additionally, her Mum and Baby Yoga sessions provide postnatal support through gentle stretches, breathing exercises, and playful interaction with babies up to 12 months old.
Yoga Mammas creates a nurturing community space for mothers to build confidence, trust their intuition, and find joy in motherhood.
Elaine’s approach emphasises the sacred journey of matrescence—the transition to motherhood—offering ongoing support for emotional and physical wellbeing. Many mothers appreciate the holistic and inclusive environment Elaine fosters, which combines yoga, aromatherapy, and mindfulness to support both body and mind. With locations in Knocklyon and Carlow.
MummyPages.ie is Ireland’s largest and most popular online parenting resource and community for mums. Founded initially as a blog by Sandra McKenna in 2009, it has grown into a comprehensive platform offering support, advice, and information tailored for parents at every stage of their child’s development.
The site features a wide range of content including parenting strategies, pregnancy and childbirth advice, baby and toddler care, nutrition, child health and safety, sleep basics, and information on children with disabilities. MummyPages also hosts product reviews, competitions, community groups, and forums where parents can share experiences and seek peer support
MummyPages.ie emphasises creating a supportive online “village” for parents who may feel isolated, providing accessible and relatable local content, expert advice, and practical tips. The site covers lifestyle topics alongside parenting, such as family finance, relationship advice, and recipes, helping parents balance family life holistically. Through partnerships and creative brand engagement, MummyPages offers opportunities for parents to try products and participate in events, fostering a vibrant community.
My First Steps (myfirststeps.ie) is a specialist children’s shoe retailer founded in 2023 by Alison McGrath, based in Ennis and Galway with an online flagship store. It caters to babies and young children, providing a wide range of footwear including baby shoes, first walking shoes, runners, boots, sandals, and wellies. The company emphasises the importance of well-fitting shoes to protect children’s foot health, noting that studies show up to 83% of children wear incorrectly sized shoes, which can cause short- and long-term foot and posture problems.
My First Steps uses innovative technology called Sizewise, the first in Ireland, for accurate foot measurement to ensure the best fit when shopping online, giving parents confidence in their purchases.
The brand aims to be Ireland’s destination store for children’s shoes, boasting expert shoe fitters known for their friendly service and extensive product choice. The company’s ethos revolves around combining style with foot health, filling a market gap by offering shoes that parents want to buy for their children not only because they look great but also support healthy foot development. It has quickly grown with physical stores in Ennis and Galway and a robust digital presence, offering expert advice and service to families across Ireland.
National Parents Council (NPC) is the only recognised representative organisation for parents of children in early years, primary and post-primary education in Ireland. NPC was established in 1985, under the Programme for Government, as the representative body for parents of children in primary education.
NPC received statutory recognition in the Education Act 1998. In line with its evolving mandate, NPC’s remit was extended to cover parents of children in early years education in 2017, and post-primary education in 2022.
NPC strongly believes that children should have a voice in matters that affect their education and works to ensure that both parents’ and children’s perspectives are represented in education policy and practice.
NPC ensures that parents’ voices are heard through the following key services:
- NPC Helpline
A confidential service offering information, support and guidance to parents to help them make informed decisions for and with their children. The helpline is available from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, via phone (01 887 4477), email (helpline@npc.ie ) and webchat at www.npc.ie . - NPC Training
A national training and development programme designed to empower parents to actively engage in their children’s education at every level. The programme covers a wide range of topics relevant to parental involvement and support. - NPC Advocacy
NPC represents the voices of parents and children through participation on external bodies, involvement in national consultations, and other advocacy platforms, ensuring that parental perspectives shape education policy and decision-making.
Nanny.ie, operated by Belgrave Nanny Agency, is a trusted Irish childcare service specializing in connecting families with professional nannies, childminders, and maternity nurses. Established in 1996 and managed by Susan Dunn, who has firsthand experience as a professional nanny and mother, the agency offers tailored nanny placement services for full-time, temporary, or contract positions.
With over 28 years of experience, the agency carefully vets and matches qualified candidates through a rigorous process including face-to-face interviews, Garda vetting, and reference checks to ensure the best cultural and professional fit for families. They take pride in offering personalized support throughout the nanny placement, focusing on building strong relationships based on trust and integrity. Services also include professional payroll management for domestic staff, relieving families of administrative burdens.
Belgrave Nanny Agency caters to both parents and childcare professionals. For parents, the agency manages thorough recruitment that suits family needs, providing quality childcare help with tasks like school runs, meals, laundry, and activities. For nannies, they offer career support including salary negotiation advice, contract assistance, and access to jobs locally and internationally. The agency also provides babysitting services to families and hotels around Dublin and surrounds.
Katie Mugan, a public health nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, founded Nursing Mama in 2019 to address the lack of comprehensive antenatal breastfeeding education.
Recognising that many parents faced similar challenges upon returning home from hospital, Katie aimed to provide better education on breastfeeding essentials, including getting started, establishing milk supply, and setting realistic expectations.
Initially offering local classes, Nursing Mama quickly expanded to reach parents across Ireland and internationally through online platforms. The company now provides a range of services, including in-person consultations in Kildare and Dublin, as well as online consultations worldwide. Their offerings have grown to include Newborn Care classes and popular Weaning from Breastfeeding courses. Nursing Mama’s comprehensive approach supports parents throughout their feeding journey, whether they choose exclusive breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or a combination. The company also offers tailored workshops, talks, and an online shop that consolidates all their products and services in one convenient location.
One Family is Ireland’s national organisation dedicated to supporting all types of one-parent families. Founded in 1972 (originally named Cherish), it provides a comprehensive suite of services for people parenting alone, sharing parenting, separating, step-parenting, or experiencing a crisis pregnancy. Their work centres on achieving equality, social inclusion, and respect for one-parent families by changing attitudes, policies, and services. One Family offers free, confidential, non-judgemental, and HSE-approved support and counselling, including specialised services for unplanned pregnancies and post-abortion care.
They focus on family-centred support during times of change such as separation or bereavement and provide courses, workshops, and professional development programmes to strengthen parenting skills and wellbeing.
The organisation runs the askonefamily helpline (01 662 9212) providing listening support, information, and advice to parents and professionals. Their counselling service is accessible to pregnant women, expectant fathers, teenagers, and adults in one-parent families, with a sliding scale fee system ensuring cost is not a barrier. One Family works closely with professionals and offers training for family support workers, social workers, and educators. They also advocate for better lives and inclusion for one-parent families through policy submissions, research, and public awareness campaigns. With a dedicated staff team including counsellors, parent mentors, and family support workers, One Family creates a supportive, solution-focused environment to help parents navigate everyday challenges and complex family changes. Their office is based in Dublin, and they provide services nationally across Ireland
Oogo is an Irish platform focused on providing childcare solutions and support for families. It offers a community-driven service that connects parents with trusted, vetted minders (childcare providers) for various childcare needs, including back-up minders, occasional minders, overnight minders, and support for activities, camps, and tutoring both online and in-person. The service aims to address common childcare gaps faced by working parents, providing flexibility and peace of mind by matching families with suitable childcare options nearby. Oogo emphasises a supportive village-like approach to childcare, celebrating the kindness and dedication of its Minder community and assisting families through different stages of parenting.
Users of Oogo appreciate its effectiveness in quickly finding reliable childcare, easing the transition back to work, and offering personalised care solutions for short or longer periods. The platform supports parents not only in day-to-day childcare but also in special circumstances such as maternity leave returns, single parenting, or emergency childcare needs. Beyond simple childcare matching, Oogo fosters a community with stories and support for both families and minders, highlighting its mission to be a reassuring partner in modern parenting challenges.
Parentline is a national confidential helpline service that offers support, guidance, and information on all aspects of parenting. It has been operating for over 40 years and supports parents, guardians, grandparents, minders, and others who have concerns or questions related to parenting children of all ages—from newborns to adult children. The service is staffed by trained volunteers who provide a non-judgmental listening ear, practical advice, and help parents navigate challenges such as child-to-parent violence, anxiety, school avoidance, loneliness, bullying, social media issues, and vaping among young people. Parentline aims to help parents feel less isolated and more confident in their parenting by offering a supportive space to talk without judgment. Calls typically last around 50 minutes on average and the service is confidential.
Parentline can be accessed by phone at 1890 927277 or 01 8733500, by email at info@parentline.ie, or by appointment for face-to-face support. The helpline operates Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an answering service available outside these hours. It is based in Dublin at Carmichael House. In 2024, Parentline handled a record number of calls (6,461), with increasing engagement from fathers. The charity provides ongoing training to its volunteers to ensure they have up-to-date knowledge and skills to support parents on a wide range of issues.
ParentsandBrands is a unique digital qualitative insights platform based in Ireland that helps businesses and brands gain deep, actionable understanding of parents as consumers. Unlike traditional market research companies, ParentsandBrands engages directly with a large community of parents—over 6 million connected monthly through its sister brand Mykidstime—who voluntarily provide honest feedback without payment, ensuring genuine and independent responses.
The platform allows companies to run tailored, iterative panels where parents give specific insights into products, services, and marketing strategies relevant to family life. This approach offers more accurate and honest data by avoiding group biases typical of traditional focus groups, and it enables brands to adapt their questions during the study to explore emerging topics in real time. ParentsandBrands emphasises that parents control a significant portion of household purchasing decisions, making their insights highly valuable for business growth and targeted marketing.
Powered by the expertise behind Mykidstime, ParentsandBrands integrates both research and marketing by offering not only strategic consumer insights but also the ability to deliver brand messages directly to parents through established digital channels. The platform is purpose-built for companies to make better, data-driven decisions that improve customer experience, elevate brand trust, and ultimately grow sales and market share. It operates with a focus on affordability, speed, and relevance by providing rich qualitative feedback, including individual verbatim from parents, plus actionable recommendations tailored to commercial objectives.
The Parents Plus Special Needs Programme (PPSN) is a unique, evidence-based parenting programme specifically designed to support parents of adolescents (age 11-25) with mild to severe intellectual disabilities, including those with additional diagnoses such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or physical disabilities. Launched in 2020, it is notable as the first programme of its kind worldwide, developed in partnership with families and disability services. Delivered over 7 sessions, either individually or in groups, the PPSN helps parents manage challenging behaviours and emotional issues, understand puberty, sexuality, and relationships, reduce their own stress, and support family dynamics including sibling relationships.
It also guides parents in advocating for their children’s needs, supporting education and social development, and preparing for transitions to adulthood.
The programme is solution-focused, trauma-informed, and builds on parental strengths to promote family wellbeing and connectedness within the community.
PPSN facilitator training is aimed at professionals such as social workers, therapists, and educators who support families raising adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Facilitators receive comprehensive training on delivering the programme effectively and supporting parents through its various topics. Research published in 2023 in a leading intellectual disabilities journal showed strong positive outcomes for parents engaged in PPSN, including improved parenting practices, reduced child problem behaviours, enhanced parental self-efficacy, and greater parental satisfaction. The programme is delivered by trained professionals in partnership with parents who have lived experience, with ongoing support and quality assurance to ensure fidelity and impactful delivery. It is increasingly accessible through Family Carers Ireland and community disability services across Ireland, helping empower families facing the unique challenges of raising children with additional needs.
Parent Support is founded by Aoife Lee, an accredited parent coach, trainee psychotherapist, and mother of three children based in Dublin. Aoife has over 20 years of experience supporting families and working within the parenting field. She offers a non-judgmental, open, and safe environment for parents and families who may be feeling overwhelmed, tired, or burnt out.
Aoife’s background includes more than 12 years working with the Health Service Executive in early intervention teams and children in care, along with her diploma in parent coaching. She provides tailored one-to-one support sessions for parents and delivers corporate wellness parenting talks and workshops, aiming to help parents build calmer and happier homes. Aoife is also a recognised parenting expert with regular media appearances and is involved in the Irish Life Health Wellness Programme for corporate clients.
Parent Support focuses on practical and realistic parenting guidance, covering a wide range of topics such as positive parenting, managing screen time and social media, healthy eating habits, sleep, building relationships with teenagers, supporting parents during exam years, and balancing work and family life. Services include onsite talks, live webinars, workshops, e-learning courses, and corporate coaching calls tailored to meet diverse needs. Aoife collaborates with numerous organisations and companies to create family-friendly workplaces and supports working parents in managing their family and work responsibilities effectively. Her compassionate, research-informed approach has made a significant impact on the lives of both families and employees across Ireland.
Co-founded by Tracy Gunn and Michelle O’Keeffe, Platform55 is a multi-award-winning HR platform designed to support people through life’s biggest moments while thriving at work.
Life doesn’t pause when we’re at work. Parenthood, caregiving, burnout, and other defining experiences shape how we show up every day.
At Platform55, we understand that balancing work and family life isn’t always easy – and we make it easier for companies to support their people in real, meaningful ways.
Our platform combines live and on-demand resources that employees can access anytime, anywhere, giving them the tools to adapt, grow, and feel supported throughout every life stage.
For organisations, this means attracting and retaining top talent, meeting new equality and sustainability requirements, and building inclusive cultures where people, and businesses, thrive.
Now almost four years old, we work across all industries in Ireland, UK, USA and Europe. By 2030, our goal is to empower one million people to grow and lead confidently through life’s defining moments.
The Pregnancy and Baby Fair at the RDS in Dublin, Ireland, caters to expecting and new parents, as well as families with young children. Featuring a diverse array of exhibitors, the fair showcases products, services, and information related to pregnancy, childbirth, and early childhood development. Attendees can explore booths offering maternity clothing, baby gear, nursery furniture, breastfeeding accessories, skincare products, and toys.
The event also includes interactive activities, demonstrations, workshops, and seminars covering topics like prenatal health, newborn care, and child safety.
The fair provides an invaluable opportunity for attendees to gather information, shop for essentials, discover new products, and connect with experts and other parents in a supportive environment tailored to the needs of growing families.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Ireland is a comprehensive resource dedicated to supporting bereaved parents and healthcare professionals in Ireland who are affected by pregnancy and infant loss. The website serves as a directory of support services and provides access to up-to-date knowledge and clinical practice guidelines for managing different types of pregnancy loss and perinatal death.
It is an official output of the National Standards for Bereavement Care Following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death, aiming to connect parents and healthcare staff with appropriate support structures and information. The platform also offers educational resources and lists all bereavement education courses available nationwide for healthcare staff.
The site includes links to numerous organisations and support groups that assist families through various kinds of losses, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, and life-limiting diagnoses during pregnancy. These include peer support services, bereavement groups, professional counseling, trauma-informed care, and advocacy groups. Notable supports often referenced in this network include the Miscarriage Association of Ireland, Féileacáin, FirstLight, and A Little Lifetime Foundation, among others, each offering specialised assistance like helplines, support meetings, and creative workshops.