The Global BIG Latch On

World Breast Feeding Week is being held August 1st-7th,2014. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action is celebrating 22 years of promoting breastfeeding and support for mothers. This is a global effort to normalize and educate people about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Did You Know That…

  • World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.
  • Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns and infants. It gives infants all the nutrients they need for healthy development. It is safe and contains antibodies that help protect infants from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia, the two primary causes of child mortality worldwide.
  • Breastfeeding also benefits mothers. Exclusive breastfeeding is associated with a natural (though not fail-safe) method of birth control (98% protection in the first six months after birth). It reduces risks of breast and ovarian cancer later in life, helps women return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster, and lowers rates of obesity.
  • Beyond the immediate benefits for children, breastfeeding contributes to a lifetime of good health. Adolescents and adults who were breastfed as babies are less likely to be overweight or obese. They are less likely to have type-2 diabetes. {Source}

The Big Latch On

 The BIG Event!

To celebrate World Breast Feeding Week, The Big Latch On is hosting a global count! It is a community-building event that is aimed to bring women together, spread the word about local support groups and raise money for support organizations.

The Big Latch On involves groups of breastfeeding women coming  together at registered  locations around the  world to all ‘latch on’ (breastfeed) their child or children at a set time. All of the children are latched on for one minute at the set time. Numbers are added to a global count total to see if we can beat the previous years record.

History of The Big Latch On

The Big Latch On began in New Zealand and was started by Women’s Health Action in 2005 as part of World  Breastfeeding Week. Joanne Edwards of Small Beginnings Group introduced the Big Latch On to Portland, Oregon in 2010.

The Big Latch On Record is 14,536 children latched on simultaneously across 845 locations in 28 countries!

The World record is still held by Children for Breastfeeding Inc., with 15,128 women breast feeding simultaneously at 295 sites across the Philippines on 2 May 2007.

Locations

Bay & Bee

Bay & Bee and Jacksonville Beach Breastfeeding Support Group are hosting a Big Latch on Event at Bay & Bee on Saturday August 2nd. RSVP here. You will need to register Saturday Morning at Bay & Bee. Registration will open at 9:15am and close at 10:00am.

The latch on will take place at 10:30am. At that point we will count latches for 1 minute.

We will have a great raffle with local vendor donations, including a 1 month membership to Bay & Bee. The Latch will take place inside of the play space and our neighboring space. There will be live music next door. Please bring a closed water bottle container and socks for yourself!

Although donations are not required to participate, we will be accepting donations for The Big Latch On organization to help provide Breast Feeding Support.

Wee Sprout

Wee Sprout will be hosting in Mandarin on August 2nd at 9:30am. RSVP here.

Local Support Organizations

Jacksonville Beach Breastfeeding Support Group 

The Global Big Latch On

Bay & Bee

Lactation Consultants

 

About the Author

Monica PharrMonica Pharr is originally from California and has an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania. Monica settled down in Neptune Beach with her Husband Jake and set up a ceramic studio. In 2009 she has a little surprise, Baby # 1 was on the way and life would never be the same. The next little stretch has been all about finding balance and creating an eco – friendly play space and community. Now she spends her days keeping the kids alive and working on Bay & Bee!

1 COMMENT

  1. The local Big Latch On events were fantastic and grow every year! Thanks to Bay and Bee and Wee Sprout for hosting events! To continue celebrating August as World Breastfeeding Month, there are three local La Leche League “fun”draising celebrations starting next week, with two events across town on Saturday, August 16th, in Downtown Jacksonville at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum – http://www.facebook.com/events/1438028813149792/, 11am-2pm; and in Julington Creek – http://www.facebook.com/events/1490786484473442/, 1-4pm; and an event on Saturday, August 23rd, in St. Augustine at Island Mama Java – http://www.facebook.com/events/914609881888383/, 10am-2pm. We hope you can celebrate along with us, at one or more 2014 events, or just pass along the information to other families!

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