Breastfeeding challenge aims to break down public barriers

Now in its 15th year, a B.C.-born breastfeeding challenge, has thousands of women massing across the world to feed their babies at the same time, all in an effort to improve breastfeeding rates.

However stigma, a lack of education, and other barriers have stalled breastfeeding rates around the world at 38 per cent of infants.

The World Health Organization has set a goal of having 50 per cent of all newborns breastfed until at least six months of age by 2025 as current rates lead to 800,000 infant deaths a year.

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Enter the Quintessence Breast Feeding Challenge, an event devised in 2001 in British Columbia to have women gather to breastfeed their children all at the same time. That year 856 babies latched on to feed at 26 sites throughout the province.

In 2014, there were 4,590 children in 10 countries who took part in the breastfeeding challenge. Now for 2015, there are 157 sites registered in eight countries, although the majority are in Canada.

On Saturday October 3, mothers will attempt to latch their babies at 11 a.m. local time to celebrate breastfeeding and milk-banking, but also advocate for the practise.

There are events aimed at breaking last year's numbers planned for many municipalities in Metro Vancouver, along with nine across Vancouver Island.

According to the WHO, breastfeeding provides the perfect nutrition for babies and their growth but also protects them from various ailments, obesity and non-communicable diseases such as asthma and diabetes.