At 11:00 a.m. on Oct. 5, babies from across the province got a meal from their mothers, as they latched on during the Quintessence Challenge at the Family Resource Centre. The challenge is a wide-scale breastfeeding event, an attempt to see which province can get the most breastfeeding happening simultaneously. In 2018, Saskatchewan won silver, just behind B.C.
Heidi Russell with the Baby Friendly Working Group said that it’s part of World Breastfeeding Week, to promote and encourage breast feeding. They view it as a fun way to get mothers breastfeeding, but also a way to normalize it in society, as something that’s part of life.
“That’s another part of doing this challenge, to promote and normalize breastfeeding.
Other Baby Friendly Working Group initiatives include the Baby Friendly Businesses program, where businesses place a sign to show that breastfeeding is welcome on their premises. The goal, explains Russell, is to let mothers know where they can feed their babies, and also to help breastfeeding to become a common sight in the community.
“The more you see it the more normal it becomes.”
The Baby Friendly Working Group also announced a new program, in partnership with the Yorkton Tribal Council, starting peer support training in First Nations communities. The program involves training moms in the community to learn the basics, so they can support breastfeeding moms in the area.
There will be a ride at 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 7 at Inner Cycle Studio for moms to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week and empower moms.
