Families join together in support of breastfeeding at The Big Latch On at Tuscora Park
by Jennifer Kneuss
August 4, 2013
394
Summary: Local dads, moms, and children gathered to celebrate, support, and promote breastfeeding at The Big Latch On event at Tuscora Park. The event kicked off the first week in August as World Breastfeeding Week.
The human race has survived for many, many centuries because human mothers have breastfed their babies. Judging from the happy smiles, laughter and squeals of delight from little ones at an event to show ongoing support for breastfeeding mothers and babies, this nurturing and sustaining act of love continues to be popular for both. The event, part of a world-wide effort occurring on Friday, Aug. 2, at 10:30 AM, was entitled The Big Latch On, and was intended to spread the message that successful breastfeeding requires support from family, friends, and communities. The Breastfeeding Coalition of Tuscarawas County organized the event attended by several dozen families.
My husband and I talked about breastfeeding while we were pregnant. His sisters and my mom all nursed their babies, so it was an easy decision for me, said Brittany Williams as her six month old daughter, Aubrey, nursed happily. Also adding weight to her decision was her experience working in a day care center several years ago. We had babies there who were getting very sick because they were on an infant formula that had been recalled by the manufacturer as being dangerous to babies because of contamination. They were already sick before the recall became public. It was terrible, she said.
Barbara Turner and her nine- month-old, Kathryn, were present to promote breastfeeding. I am nursing because it is healthier, not expensive like formula, and also because Kathryn was born prematurely. I wanted her to be healthy. Sadly, I have only had good family support from my husband and my mom. Everyone else has tried to talk me out of it.
Turner finds it hard to understand why some are not supportive, particularly since the World Health Organization (WHO) and other leading authorities state that if all babies were breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life, then continue to breastfeed for at least two years as solid foods are added to their diet, that at least 220,000 babies lives would be saved every single year. There are many other benefits as well.
In their 10 Facts about Breastfeeding, WHO states: 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. Benefits to mothers include a reduced risk for breast and ovarian cancers later in life 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 and perform better in intelligence tests.
A grinning Zayne Kukwa, an energetic eleven month old, bounced on his mothers lap, sporting a t-shirt that stated Stay Calm and Latch On as his mom, Tifanie, chatted with other moms at the New Philadelphia Tuscora Park pavilion where The Big Latch was held.
I nursed my oldest for just four months but I felt bullied into quitting, said Tifanie, citing inaccurate information given to her by even some health care professionals. I will nurse Zayne as long as he wants, definitely until he is at least a year old at this point, and most likely a lot longer. The World Health Organization says that health-wise, babies should be breastfed for at least two years, so Im aiming for that.
Mom Danielle Hershberger brought her nursing twins, seven month old Judd and Jenna. She also nursed her older daughter, Clara. The twins were born early, at 35 weeks. I pumped initially, and then they started nursing well. I wouldnt feed them any other way, she stated, as she balanced one baby on each hip.
Staff from the local Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program helped at the event, which included a potluck lunch. The WIC program also has a peer counselor support program for nursing moms. For information about the Breastfeeding Coalition of Tuscarawas County, call 330-343-5555.
