Mothers and children to compete to set world breastfeeding record on October 1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 20, 2011
BURLINGTON – Breastfeeding mothers, are you ready to attempt a new world record? Ready, Set, Feed!
The Alamance County WIC Program will host a Breastfeeding Challenge on Saturday, October 1, at the Civitan Shelter in Burlington City Park, as a part of the Quintessence Global Breastfeeding Challenge. Activities will begin at 10:00 A.M. with limited free food, games, activities, and giveaways for participants. The official “latch on” time will be 11:00 A.M.
This fun event is a challenge to see which geographic area has the most breastfeeding babies “latched on” at 11:00 A.M. local time. Mothers and children at sites across the United States, Canada, and other countries around the world will compete to set the record for the most infants breastfeeding at one time. The winners of the competition will be the site with the most infants breastfeeding at one site, the country with the most children breastfeeding at registered sites and in North America the region (state, province or territory) with the most children participating as a percentage of the birth rate. To level the playing field between large and small, each site will be entered into one of four groups determined by birth rate.
The purpose of the event is to celebrate breastfeeding and milk-banking, and demonstrate promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding women and their families. In addition, the event is also a chance for education and peer support in a fun and social way. In 2010, the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge included 4,373 children in eighteen countries at over 213 sites with a total of over 20,000 supporters.
“There are so many reasons to celebrate breastfeeding,” according to Breastfeeding Coordinator Catherine Cunningham. “The Alamance County WIC Program has had three breastfeeding peer counselors on staff for well over a year now and they have done a tremendous job since their arrival, especially meeting the challenges of a rapidly growing caseload. In addition to a combined caseload that surpasses 500, our counselors now teach breastfeeding classes and conduct support groups,” concluded Cunningham.
For more information about the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge, visit the challenge website at www.babyfriendly.ca or contact Cunningham at (336) 570-6475.
The Alamance County WIC Program is an equal opportunity provider.