World Breastfeeding Week October 1-7, 2011

In Canada World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated in October, specially for 2011, we will celebrate October 1st-7th.

World Breastfeeding Week is an international event with the purpose to promote, support, encourage and celebrate breastfeeding at the local, national and global levels. Breastfeeding leads to improved health of mothers and babies around the world.

This years theme for World Breastfeeding Week is "Talk to Me! Breastfeeding - a 3D experience". This theme focuses on cross-generational, cross-sector, cross-gender and cross-culture communication which will encourage knowledge and experience sharing, which is vital part to protect, promote, support and celebrate breastfeeding.

In Regina we are going to kick off World Breastfeeding Week and celebrate breastfeeding together by participating in the Quintessence Foundation Breastfeeding Challenge. The Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge started in 2001, in British Columbia, Canada, with 856 babies and their mothers at 26 sites. In 2010 there were 4,373 children at 216 sites in 18 countries who took part. We had 18 babies latched on in 2010 in Regina and I KNOW we can beat that this year.

Mother's and babies, along with fathers, partners, children, grandparents and other supporters will gather in celebration, support & promotion of breastfeeding this Saturday, October 1st @1030, in the Cornwall Centre, outside the Bay entrance, by the statues. We will officially "latch on" at 11am. We are pleased to have displays, time to share stories, door prizes, refreshments and snacks, and activities for children.

You can view more about the Regina event on Facebook at Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge Regina
You can also look for additional sites at the Quintessence Foundation registered sites page.

I look forward to seeing many mama's and babies and those that love and support us.

Also, please use this location to share your experiences with breastfeeding, keeping in mind the theme:  cross-generational, cross-sector, cross-gender and cross-culture communication to protect, promote, support and celebrate breastfeeding. Share the good, the bad, the ugly, the truth, the joys, the benefits, the struggles, the help, the support, share it all.