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Ninth annual breastfeeding challenge in Grand Forks

Women's Resource Centre hosted the annual Breastfeeding Challenge in Grand Forks
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Mothers and babies. Back row (L-R): Pam English and Rowan

On Oct. 1, nine mothers gathered at Women’s Resource Centre in Grand Forks, the site of the ninth Breastfeeding Challenge, and had their babies latch-on.

This marked the celebration of the most natural and healthy thing moms can do for their babies. The challenge is international and aims to have women from across the world breastfeed their babies in harmony.

This year, 4,215 babies, 188 sites and 14 countries (Canada, U.S., Ireland, Netherlands, Cyprus, Russia, Romania, Moldova, South Africa, Hungary, Bermuda, Japan, Italy and Ukraine) have registered their results with 87 registered sites yet to send in results. Women around the world are proud and happy to publicly celebrate their breastfeeding relationship with their babies.

The event is observed to promote the health benefits of breastfeeding and to raise public awareness of the importance of communities and families supporting breastfeeding. Supporting breastfeeding and its visibility in the community is crucial to eliminate the stigma and misconceptions that surround breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is a woman and baby’s right and by law, no one may tell a woman to stop, move to another place or cover up.

In fact, the Canadian Paediatric Society recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life for healthy term infants and says that breast milk is the optimal food for infants and breastfeeding may continue for up to two years and beyond.

Their recommendations continue to say, “We must acknowledge the need to provide adequate social and nutritional support to lactating women.”

The World Health Organization advocates for exclusive breastfeeding because it reduces infant mortality and has health benefits that extend into adulthood.

Breast milk has more than 200 components that provide all the energy and nutrients for babies. It promotes sensory and cognitive development and protects infants against infectious and chronic diseases.

They enjoy decreased risk of ear infections, lower respiratory tract infections, skin problems, childhood obesity and long-term illnesses, such as diabetes.

Mothers accrue long-term advantages, such as lower risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and endometrial cancer.

Besides the numerous health benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby there is also the increased attachment and social-emotional development of the close mother/baby bond required for successful breastfeeding.

This bond is important for the healthy development of baby’s attachment style and can affect their intimate and social relationships for their lifespan. Whichever way you look at it, breastfeeding is best for moms and babies and therefore should be supported and encouraged by community whenever possible.

For more information, go to babyfriendly.ca. In Grand Forks, the event was organized by the Cynthia Garnett of the Baby’s Best Chance program at Boundary Family and Individual Services Society.

-submitted by Cynthia Garnett and Nandini Menon