The annual Global Breastfeeding Challenge is coming up again. In locations across North America and around the world, breastfeeding mothers will gather on October 3, 2009 to nurse their babies all at once.
Why?
To celebrate breastfeeding and demonstrate promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding women and their families. It’s a chance for education and peer support done in a fun social way.
I like to see it as a way of demonstrating our right to breastfeed our babies anytime, anywhere and combating a bit of bottle imagery.
This will be my fourth time participating. Last year I was sitting two people away from one of my regular readers, Juliette, (not sure if she was reading my blog back then or not) when this picture got snapped just as my daughter decided to flash my breast to the world.
So, my breastfeeding readers…
- If you are in the Ottawa area, will I see you there?
- If you are located somewhere else, will you find a site near you and participate?
I’d love to see how many of my readers I can get out to one of the locations. Drop a comment below if you plan to participate. Maybe I’ll pull together a post with all of your experiences after the event.
What do you think?
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There is not a location in my state, or anywhere near my state that is hosting this. I am bummed. I’m going to see if I can find a place to host this event. AND IT’S ON MY BIRTHDAY! I am not planning anything for my birthday, so what a neat thing to do for that!
I will let you know if I am able to get a place for this event. If not, I think I’ll just go to random public places all day that day and nurse. HAHA.
I am chuckling away at that picture!!!!! “Hey! Lookee what I got here!!”
I would love to do this, but the nearest one to me is 4+ hours’ drive away. I might have cajole Judy at MommyNews to organise one in Western PA!
You ladies should definitely register your own site and participate.
Sadly, my little nursling is now a weanling, and nursling #2 won’t be born until February. I was considering volunteering but unfortunately it looks like we have too many other commitments that weekend… but I cannot wait until next year! It’ll be the first one I’ve missed in 3 years … it’s great fun.
There isn’t a location in my state. Bummer. Maybe I’ll just be sure to go out and nurse in public sometime that day.
You can register a site if you want Olivia.
I will be there but not necessarily breastfeeding. I would like to remind your readers that it isn’t only BABIES who breastfeed! Some toddlers and young children do too; lucky kids!
@The chick on your left: Yes, of course. I’ll be nursing my 2.5 year old there…but she is still my baby!
Yep it’s true! We were interviewed by the local tv station last year because our kids were “somewhat older than average”. I’m sure people around the city were shaking their heads at the mum bf-ing her 3-year old IN PUBLIC!!! but maybe it made them stop and think a bit too – since I think we otherwise look quite “normal” – whatever that is
My daughter saw this picture this morning and called me the Queen of Breastmilk. I’ll gladly share the crown with y’all.
Love the picture! You are a celebrity in the breastfeeding/blogging world . . .
Thanks Bettina! As are you.
I am not able to attend, but I will be continuing to public breastfeed. Just like I do everyday!
Yes, we were there last year and will be there this year and now he’s 18 months old!!!!
I’m hoping to register a site here in the Bay Area, specifically Oakland or San Francisco. I’m surprised there aren’t more locations in America participating in this event! If I’m unsuccessful I’ll definitely be out and about that day breastfeeding in public, as always.
Going to the event in Los Angeles with my 9-month-old!
I’ll be attending in Vancouver, BC where there are no less than FOUR registered locations! I have my pick
Gah – I live in the one city in my state that has a location…and I’m going to be out of town that day. What are the odds? I will definitiely make a point to NIP that day though! Maybe I’ll be risque and go uncovered
Oh, I am so in, with my almost 3-year-old! I am considering to host one myself… Anyone want to join me in Katonah, New York?
Dagmar
I emailed the link to my lactation consultant and she set up a site in my town! I’m glad it’s on a weekend – I’ll get to see a bunch of my support group friends who can’t attend meetings during the week anymore because they had to go back to work. We’re not going to break any records but I bet our turnout is pretty good.
I wandered over here to thank you for your response to my cosleeping post, and I’m very happy that I did!
I am working on a breastfeeding post for National Breastfeeding week, and I’ll be sure to include information on this event in there. I would LOVE to set up an event, but my town is wee and I don’t think I would get whole lot of response… so instead, I will pass on the word and celebrate on my own, as are some of you other lovely ladies!
It’s nice to have some support for extended breastfeeding! Go, mommies!
I will be attending the event in White Plains at Full Circle Family Care. They have breastfeeding support there every day of the week, can’t wait to check it out and blog about it!
Dagmar
I’m in Calgary and you BET I’ll be there. My toddler weaned so I’ll have only be nursing one (was hoping to tandem nurse – but glad she weaned on her own!)…but then, my toddler will probably be nursing her “babies” too. Does it count if she’s nursing puppies & ducks?
You are so on! Toronto is going to take it all this year — I can feel it. (At the very least, you know we’ll beat Ottawa. Hockey reference …) Any Toronto readers that want to say hi, let me know who you are: http://playgroundconfidential.com/2009/09/27/global-breastfeeding-challenge-is-on/
And blogging about it is a great idea. I’d love to swap tales.
I’m so sad – we’ll have to sit out this year! My milk is all gone and the most “nursing” I do nowadays is about 2 seconds at bedtime. Looking forward to next year’s though.
We haven’t a location near enough, sadly, so I’ll have to instead just takesome time to feed my baby publicly on my own.
We had a great time in Toronto! Here are some pics that were posted on the Toronto Sun’s website: http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/10/03/11276121.html
@Sheryl: How many nursing babies did you have? We had 124 in Ottawa.
I’m not sure! I didn’t hear the official results…I heard unofficial results of just over 200.
OK so I was way off…official results are in and Toronto had 373!!
I missed it what a bummer:( Maybe next year if she is still nursing. I didn’t know this event even existed!