World Breastfeeding Week 2016

Every year the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) nominate a theme for World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), which is always held on the 1^st to the 7^th August. World Breastfeeding Week was born in 1991 and WABA have coordinated this global event as their main annual campaign ever since that time.  WABA has the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for WBW.  They also have core partners, including La Leche League International, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). As 2016 commemorates the start of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs,) the theme of ‘Breastfeeding: a key to Sustainable Development’ is a topical theme. Breastfeeding leaves no footprints, it’s the shortest food mile from the breast to the baby, and breastfeeding is quite unique as it represents a form of positive global development that really will lead to world improvement in terms of sustainability, environmental benefit, and health. In New Zealand the ‘Big Latch On’ event, is coordinated by Women’s Health Action Trust during WBW. Breastfeeding women come together to celebrate breastfeeding, with the aim of breastfeeding their babies all at the same time. Check out the ‘Big Latch On’ website for a venue near to you and join in the fun on 5^th and 6^th August this year – http://www.womens-health.org.nz/programmes/breastfeeding-activities/big-latch-on/about/ and to find out more about WABA and World Breastfeeding Week go to http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org/