The 2015 Big Latch On took place around the world at the weekend, and on Saturday there was a special event in Norwich’s Chapelfield Gardens. As World Breastfeeding Week kicks off, numerous communities hosted “Latch On” events, where parents came together to breastfeed in public to help encourage acceptance.
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The newly formed Kearney Community Breastfeeding Initiative is hosting a Big Latch On event on Saturday, August 1. It seems that the goal of the New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority is to make breastfeeding a cultural norm, but people not in the favor of such events said that in reality it is not. This year, The Big Latch On was organized by groups in six continents, including South America, Asia, and Africa.
Breastfeeding has many health benefits a few of which include reducing the risk of infant morbidity and mortality, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The heath department held it the first year. “It helps moms not feel so shut away when they’re feeding their babies”, said Sandusky County Breastfeeding Coalition co-chair Crystal Henson.
“We advertised predominantly by creating a Big Latch On Facebook page”, said Ms Morunga.
Cape resident Amanda Nelson took part on Friday for the second year in a row.
Emma Richardson, 33, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, brought along her seven-month-old daughter Lorelei.
However, she is down to one nighttime breastfeed for Elise and is soon to call a halt to that too.
“Once you get into a routine with breastfeeding, it’s easy”, she says. In China, about half of new moms or moms-to-be described breastfeeding in public as embarassing, according to a 2014 global survey by Lansinoh Laboratories, a maker of breastfeeding accessories.
Nelson anticipates weening her daughter off of breastfeeding at about 18 months.
“It’s the gold standard”, she said.
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Nelson, however, praised the benefits of the method.
