About ten years ago, Dr Wah Wong, a long-time internationl breaastfeeding advocate who had worked with UNICEF around the world to promote and protect breastfeeding mothers and babies, proposed the idea of the Breastfeeding Challenge to raise money and awareness of breastfeeding and breastmilk banking and have some fun at the same time.
In October of 2001, the Quintessence Foundation organized the first BC-wide Breastfeeding Challenge, challenging all communities in BC to see which one could gather the largest number of breastfeeding mothers in one place and have them all latch on simultaneously at 11am local time. In Victoria, Breastfeeding Matters ran a very successful event, gathering 122 babies and their mothers. Since then the event has been a highlight of the breastfeeding mother's year. I know some mothers who have attended every year, for the last ten years!
This year, the Breastfeeding Challenge is being organized by La Leche League Victoria at Fort Rod Hill. Moms and babies and their supporters are invited to arrive by 10:30 to sign in. Latch-on is at 11am SHARP! Fort Rodd Hill has offered us a special rate for this event. $1.90/person, children under 6 are free. When you arrive, please let the ticket person know you are there for the La Leche League event. The group will be gathering under the tents with the picnic tables. It's supposed to be a lovely day tomorrow - bring lunch and make a day of it!
The joy of the event is in the feeling of community and commonality of purpose. It is a celebration of breastfeeding and family. Mothers and babies, of course, and father and siblings and grandparents and friends all attend and join in this noisy and cheerful gathering. I love the energy and the pride I feel in the families there.
In 2002, Quintessence invited the rest of Canada to participate. In 2003 the USA and Mexico joined us and by 2009, 21 countries all over the world were participating in this celebration of World Breastfeeding Week. In each location, the goal is to get a group of mothers to latch their babies all together at 11am local time on the first Saturday in October. From 2002-2004, Victoria was proud to have the largest site of all. In 2008, we had our largest turn-out ever with 239 babies and their moms.
Happy World Breastfeeding Week everyone!
