Michigan hopes to bring awareness to the importance of breast-feeding by participating in a world-wide "Latch On" event this Saturday.
Bronson Park in Kalamazoo will be the site of the event called "Big Latch On." New moms are expected to arrive to the site and breast feed simultaneously, according to WWMT-TV.
Participants in Michigan, as well as all the women around the world, will attempt to break the previous record of more than 8,800 women simultaneously nursing their child.
"It takes a whole community in order to successfully breastfeeding. Not just family and friends we need the support of the community in order for breast-feeding to become normal in public it needs to be seen and shown," organizer Mackenzie Morgan told WWMT-TV.
The purpose of the event is to show the world breastfeeding your child is normal. Here is the full list of what organizers aim to do, according to the event's official website, BigLatchOn.org:
1. Support for communities to identify and grow opportunities to provide ongoing breastfeeding support and promotion.
2. Raise awareness of breastfeeding support and knowledge available in communities.
3. Help communities positively support breastfeeding in public places.
4.Make breastfeeding a normal part of the day-to-day life at a local community level.
5. Increase support for women who breastfeed - women are supported by their partners, family and the breastfeeding knowledge that is embedded in their communities.
6. Communities have the resources to advocate for coordinated appropriate and accessible breastfeeding support services.
According to the official website, The Big Latch On originated from New Zealand in 2005 as part of World Breastfeeding Week, and the number of participants has continued to grow.
The Big Latch On will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Bronson Park. Registration starts at 10:00.
Not in Michigan? Click here to find a Big Latch On location near you.
