This press release published at the request of the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County.
The North Central Florida Breastfeeding Coalition is working to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding by hosting the local Big Latch On on Saturday, August 4, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery (810 E. University Avenue, Gainesville). The synchronized breastfeeding event is part of this year’s celebration of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1, through August 7, 2018). The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action organizes World Breastfeeding Week every August. The event is currently celebrated in 120 countries. To mark this occasion thousands of breastfeeding people and their babies/children across the world will gather in their own communities to take part in the Global Big Latch On, a synchronized breastfeeding event in multiple locations. The first Big Latch On took place in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2005. It was introduced to Portland, Oregon in 2010, by Small Beginnings Group LLC, and has now taken off globally. This year the goal is to break the current Global Big Latch On record of 17,992 children breastfeeding at 758 locations, across 23 countries.
All are invited to this free World Breastfeeding Week Celebration. Breastfeeding moms can participate in the chance to break a world record for the most mother-child dyads breastfeeding at once. Mothers must be registered by 10 a.m. on August 4, 2018 to participate in the latch. There will be more than ten vendors at the event providing educational materials and resources. Community members can learn about WIC, Florida Healthy Babies, La Leche League, Healthy Families, NewboRN Home Visiting Program, Healthy Start, UF SHANDS, North Florida Regional Medical Center, and more. There will be free food, breastfeeding support on site, and free raffle prizes. There will also be free mini-photo sessions by appointment.
Register for the Big Latch On.
View the Big Latch On Facebook Event.
“We are excited to be part of the North Central Florida Breastfeeding Coalition and to have a role in the creation of Gainesville’s 1st Big Latch On event,” says Diana Duque, Community Program Manager of the Alachua WIC Program. “We hope this event will demonstrate the community support toward mothers who breastfeed, and to provide an opportunity to educate and provide resources to those who would like to learn more about the phenomenal benefits of breastfeeding.”
Breastfeeding contributes to the normal growth and development of babies/children. Babies/children who are not breastfed are at increased risk of infant morbidity and mortality, adult obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and premenopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer (both mom and baby.) The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of a baby's life to optimize these benefits, continuing to breastfeed for 2 years and as long thereafter as is mutually desired by a woman and her child.
For more information, contact Diana Duque at 352-225-4355.