World Breastfeeding Week 2004
The theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2004 - Exclusive Breastfeeding: Safe, Sound and Sustainable – was clearly reflected in the healthy, happy faces who joined in the Challenge across Canada. One look at all these enthusiastic moms and babies and we’re sure you’ll agree!
INFACT Canada’s
own breastfeeding challenge was particularly special this year. We received the
Quintessence Foundation Silver Award for our second place finish in Ontario.
In
addition, for the first time young mothers from Jessie’s Centre for Teenagers
participated in the breastfeeding challenge. The young families were welcomed
and acknowledged with a warm round of applause.
We were also delighted to have a
large contingent of moms from Toronto’s Chinese community, thanks to the efforts
of INFACT member, Lydia Ling.
Port Carling, nestled in Ontario’s scenic Mukoka cottage region, gathered a team of nine nursling pairs for its first attempt at the Challenge. Kelly Coker reports,
“In an era where we are collectively concerned about breastfeeding duration rates, it was fabulous to have 6 of our 9 breastfeeding babes over the age of 1 year! We had 2 newborns, a 5 month old and 6 babes which ranged in age from 15 months to 3.5 years!”
Dr. Rob Cushman, Ottawa’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, spoke about the benefits of breastfeeding and the importance of community support for breastfeeding families and awarded a certificate of excellence to Place d’Orléans Shopping Centre for their efforts to make Ottawa communities more breastfeeding-friendly.
Place d’Orléans clearly demonstrated their commitment to making breastfeeding mothers feel welcome and have just redesigned and decorated a beautiful private breastfeeding/family room called “Place Bébé” for mothers to breastfeed comfortably.
Meanwhile, out on the West Coast, Quesnel, B.C. celebrated the event the local Farmer’s Market. May Nate Bello; father of three breastfed babies himself, presented the proclamation on behalf of the city. In total, 11 mom and baby pairs latched on to be counted in the challenge. The youngest baby was a mere 8 days and the two oldest babies were 14 and 20 months old respectively.
In Chilliwack, 58 women and babies gathered at a local school to celebrate. This was Chilliwack’s fourth Annual Breastfeeding Challenge, and its biggest and best yet. With an annual birth rate of approximately 800 babies, the turn out of 58 breastfeeding women at the event was impressive. The community and business support also give to the event clearly demonstrates that Chilliwack feels strongly about the health and wellness of its children and signifies enormous support for breastfeeding.
In Brossard, Quebec,
the breastfeeding support group, “la mere a boire”, gathered 52 breastfeeding
pairs for a very special event. In total, 154 people gathered to for the fun.
The Maritimes reported several successful
events, including those hosted in Saint
John, New Brunswick at the VON Healthy Baby & Me, at Halifax’s Single Parent
Centre and at the Family Resource Centre in Sydney Nova Scotia, where twelve
moms and babies took part.
York Region Health Services
officially launch its community education campaign during World Breastfeeding
Week to promote confidence in breastfeeding women. The campaign includes
community displays, theatre and transit advertisements, posters and pamphlets