Breastfeeding World’s Big Latch On Events are Growing!
Last year, Breastfeeding World’s Founder, Alexia Garcia, with her friend and volunteer event coordinator, Lisa Maloney, hosted Breastfeeding World’s first ever Annual NYC Big Latch On. In the heart of Times Square in NYC, they gathered 76 nursing moms and over 100 breastfeeding supporters. Together, New York’s mothers celebrated their breastfeeding community.
Picture by Trausch Photography
Spreading the Breastfeeding Love
Last years event was such a huge success, we decided to have a repeat performance! So this year, together with Alexia, Lisa and Samantha Skylua (Breastfeeding World’s volunteer editor) have joined forces. On behalf of Breastfeeding World, they are hosting our Second Annual NYC Big Latch On and community picnic. However, we are not stopping in New York. For this reason, we are so excited to announce our event in the Midwest! Breastfeeding World’s editor Lauren Lewis, along with her friend and fellow lactavist Leslie Cosand have been hard at work. We are especially excited about bringing Breastfeeding World’s First Annual Hamilton County Big Latch On to Central Indiana!
Photo Credit Lindsey Trausch, Trausch Photography
Breastfeeding World’s Hamilton County Big Latch On will take place in beautiful downtown Noblesville, Indiana. On August 6 from 9am to noon, the West plaza of the Judicial center will host over 200 nursing mothers, along with our community breastfeeding supporters. Here, at the grassy area between the Judicial Center Building and White River, we will begin to celebrate motherhood and breastfeeding.
After checking in, breastfeeding mothers and their families will be able to peruse our sponsored vendor booths and resource tables. During this time, there will be opportunity to munch lactation cookies, participate in baby boot camp, or have Q&A with our volunteer advocates. Finally, at 10:20, we will gather for The Global Big Latch On. At this time our nursing mothers will join over 30,000 women from all over the world in nursing their babes for one minute at exactly 10:30. After the Latch On, there will be an AMAZING raffle give away- with some really exciting prizes!
About the Global Big Latch On
Building community support, one latch at a time.
The Global Big Latch On takes place at a registered locations around the world. Here, women gather together to breastfeed and offer peer support to each other. Their friends, family and community join this celebration to promote and support breastfeeding. To host a latch on, Volunteers (like Breastfeeding World) in the community host in each location. Hosting a Global Big Latch On creates a lasting support network. The Global Big Latch On takes place annually during World Breastfeeding Week (1st – 7th August).
The Big Latch On aims to protect, promote & support breastfeeding families by:
- Providing support for communities to grow opportunities in order to provide on-going breastfeeding support and promotion in local communities.
- Raise awareness of breastfeeding and therefore the knowledge available both locally and globally.
- Help communities positively support breastfeeding in public places.
- Make breastfeeding as normal part of day-to-day life at a local level.
- Increase support for women who breastfeed – women are supported by their partners, family and their communities.
- Ensure communities have the resources to advocate for overall appropriate and accessible breastfeeding support services
How Can I participate?
First, you do not have to be a nursing mother to join us! This is a family and community event, so all breastfeeding supporters are welcome.
Nursing or Pregnant Momma? You can sign up to be a Hamilton County Latch On Participant HERE. All nursing mothers who are preregistered by August 1 will be guaranteed a fun swag bag at check in. You will also receive a free ticket for our raffle, which will be drawn after the latch on.
Past the preregistration date? Don’t worry! Nursing mothers pre-registered before July 22 are guaranteed a swag bag and free ticket. However, participants are invited to register online until Friday August 5, as well as in person upon arriving at our event.
Volunteer or Advocate? You can sign up to be a part of the Breastfeeding World volunteer for the 2016 Hamilton County Big Latch On HERE Please help to make a difference in our nursing community!
Interested in becoming a contributor, donor, or sponsor? Always feel free to reach out to Lauren Lewis at LSLewis@breastfeedingworld.org for sponsorship and vendor opportunities!
Be sure to follow us on our social media sites and check out our event page on Facebook. Keep up to date with all our latest news regarding this very exciting event! Keep watching Breastfeeding World on facebook to participate in our online giveaways!
Lauren Lewis is no stranger to childcare development, having spent over 10 years as a nanny or family childcare provider. She’s the wife of a travel geek, mother of two vivacious children, and has an amazing talent for trailing lost things behind her a la Hansel and Gretel. Her passion for lifting up women and advocating for children pours out in her work as a Central Indiana Event Coordinator, Writer, and Social Media Relations Director for Breastfeeding World. Her life is full of busy, crazy and LOUD. It is full of love and hope, ups and downs. And coffee, always lots of coffee- but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
