A global celebration to raise awareness about breastfeeding
Posted October 2, 2010 8:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Hundreds of moms and babies celebrated World Breastfeeding Week by trying to break a world record for the most children breastfeeding at once on Saturday.
Creekside Community Centre and Lions Gate Hospital in Vancouver as well the Howe Sound Women’s Centre in Squamish played host to the event to promote healthy choices for mother and child.
Leslie Mills with Vancouver Coastal Health explains they had quite a feat to accomplish. “Our goal is to get the most mothers we can breastfeeding simultaneously in one place at one time, and it’s happening in Vancouver and throughout the world.”
She says it’s not all about making history. “It’s to bring awareness to breastfeeding as normal healthy way to feed babies. And for being good for Moms, families, communities and health care. Everybody wins with breastfeeding.”
Last year, 4,766 babies at 246 sites in 26 countries took up the challenge.
The Ministry of Healthy Living says British Columbia has the highest rate of breastfeeding initiation in the country at 97 per cent, but only 19 per cent of mothers continue breastfeeding for the first six months.
The breastfeeding week is on until October 8.
