Families take up the Parenting in Ottawa Breastfeeding Challenge

Babies and toddlers and their mothers celebrated breastfeeding anywhere, anytime at the _ _ _ Parenting in Ottawa _ Breastfeeding Challenge

Saturday

, with 80 babies breastfeeding at one site at

11 a.m.

at City Hall.

The Breastfeeding Challenge, which began in 2001 by the Quintessence Foundation as part of World Breastfeeding Week, is a friendly competition that brings together mothers from around the world by challenging them to set the record for the most babies breastfeeding at one time.

“Breastfeeding your baby is important to give him or her the best start in life,” said Sherry Nigro, Manager of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Ottawa Public Health (OPH). “No mother is alone and help is available to mothers through services like OPH’s Breastfeeding Buddies Program that connects volunteers with breastfeeding experience with moms needing support by phone support in 17 different languages.”

The World Health Organization, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Health Canada and OPH recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and to continue breastfeeding, with the introduction of solids, for up to two years and beyond.

“We are thrilled to see so many moms with their babies doing what’s normal and their right - breastfeeding anywhere, anytime,” said Shawna Rioux, Founder and President of Breasts Out for Ontario Babies (BOOB).

The Breastfeeding Challenge also featured the launch of OPH’s new _ Parenting in Ottawa _ Drop-ins . These weekly drop-ins, offered throughout Ottawa, offer a space in the community where parents or guardians with children up to six years including prenatal, can meet with a public health nurse to get in the know about becoming a new parent, breastfeeding support, tracking their child’s growth and development and local community resources.

For additional information, visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca or call Ottawa Public Health Information at 613-580-6744 (TTY: 613-580-9656 ). You can also connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , [ Pinteres

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