World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is this week, from August 1-7, with this year’s theme centered on informing the public on how infant and young child feeding (IYCF) impacts sustainable development goals (SDG). World Breastfeeding Week, founded 22 years ago by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), aims to engage and collaborate with influencers to support, promote, and protect breastfeeding. WBW is recognized in 175 countries worldwide and is endorsed by UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The Global Big Latch On event was first held in 2005, local to New Zealand, and didn’t globalize until 2010 when it was introducted in Portland, Oregon. The worldwide breastfeeding event is entirely hosted by volunteers and aims to bring together breastfeeding mothers, family, friends, and supporters together for support and awareness.

The Global Big Latch On provides support to local communities for providing awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding and promoting it in local communities. They help communities spread positive support for public breastfeeding, and emphasize how breastfeeding is a normal part of every day living at a community level.

Last year, twenty eight countries participated in The Global Big Latch On with over fifteen thousand breastfeeding participants!

This year, you can also participate in Beijing on Friday, August 6 at 10:00 am at:

Beijing United Family Rehabilitation Hospital, 1 Yaojiayuan Bei’er Road, Chaoyang District. 和睦家康复医院蒙古包. (appleme@163.com, 或微信applelovekids)

To read this information in Chinese (published by the La Leche League), click here.

Oasis International Hospital is hosting a similar event, OASIS Breastfeeding Awareness Event, over two days, Friday August 5 and Saturday August 6 from 10am-4pm:

Participants will receive a breastfeeding certificate, a free pelvic and abdominal examination, and a breastfeeding gift bag. In addition, if you allow the photographers from Face Memo to photograph your intimate breastfeeding moment to share at Oasis, you’ll receive five free digital copies of the photos.

Free to attend. RSVP required. To register, email Ashley.Gaul@oasishealth.cn.

Oasis International Hospital, NO.9 Jiuxianqiao North Road, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区酒仙桥北路9号.

Photos: WBW, The Global Big Latch On