Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge

On October 1, 2011 at 11:00 a.m., mothers and children at sites across Canada, the United States and other countries around the world will compete to set the record for the most children breastfeeding at one time.

The Breastfeeding Challenge is sponsored by the Quintessence Foundation, a non-profit group providing education to parents and professionals about breastfeeding. The challenge began in 2001 in British Columbia, Canada with 856 children at 26 sites. By 2010, there were 4,373 children in eighteen countries at over 213 sites with a total of over 20,000 supporters. Even greater support is the goal in 2011.

This is the first time that Yorkton will be a registered site. All breastfeeding mothers in the area served by Sunrise Health Region may participate at 11:00 am at the Yorkton Public Library at the Parkland Mall or can contact Lactation Services at 786-0886 or the Early Visiting Program at 786-0625 for more information.

The competition will track the site with the most children breastfeeding at one site, the country with the most children breastfeeding at registered sites, and in North America by province, territory or state. To level the playing field between large and small populations, each site will be entered into one of four groups determined by birth rate.

Why this challenge? Breastfeeding has many well-documented benefits including better health for both mothers and babies. It has become very clear during disasters such as earthquakes that breastfeeding plays a lifesaving role protecting young children who are the most vulnerable. In their day to day lives many women fail to meet their own breastfeeding goals and wean their children prematurely, well before meeting recommended guidelines. Two of the biggest hurdles for mothers continue to be lack of support and marginalization by the community.

This event takes place as part of the celebration of World Breastfeeding Week in Canada. The theme for the week is "Talk to Me! Breastfeeding- 3D" highlighting the need to communicate with sectors of society about the importance of breastfeeding and human milk and the need to promote protect and actively support breastfeeding in our communities. One key step is welcoming mothers to breastfeed anywhere, anytime!