Families who breastfeed their babies are invited to gather at the South London Community Centre on Saturday morning for this year’s Breastfeeding Challenge, an early kick-off to National Breastfeeding Week. To celebrate this year’s theme, “Breastfeeding - Foundation of Life”, the Middlesex-London Health Unit and its community partners are hoping to attract a large number of nursing mothers, their partners, support people and of course their children, from across the region. The Challenge takes place this Saturday, at the South London Community Centre. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. followed by the Breastfeeding Challenge at 11:00 a.m. The goal of the Challenge is to have as many breastfed babies as possible together at the same time.

Held each year from October 1st to 7th, this year’s National Breastfeeding Week highlights the links between breastfeeding and nutrition, as well as food security and poverty reduction. Breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong good health for babies and mothers. Although National Breastfeeding Week doesn’t officially begin until next Monday, many communities across the country will be holding kick-off events this Saturday.

Who:
Breastfeeding mothers, their families and friends; staff from the Middlesex-London Health Unit and other organizations that support and encourage breastfeeding

What:
Breastfeeding Challenge to celebrate the start of National Breastfeeding Week

Where:
South London Community Centre, 1119 Jalna Boulevard, London

When:
Saturday, September 29th, 2018; 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Breastfeeding Challenge to begin at 11:00 a.m.

Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society recommend that mothers breastfeed their babies early, continue to breastfeed their child exclusively for the first six months of life and that they maintain breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond. The World Health Organization also states that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life ranks among the most effective interventions for improving child survival and health.

Media contact:

Elizabeth Milne, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health and Communications Coordinator, Middlesex-London Health Unit, 519-663-5317 ext. 2448 or 519-617-0564 (cell)

Spokesperson:

Laura Dueck, Public Health Nurse, Middlesex-London Health Unit
Chair, Middlesex-London World Breastfeeding Week Workgroup