Breastfeeding Week in Canada is celebrated during the week of October 1 to October 7 to bring awareness to the importance of breastfeeding. On Friday, September 30, Public Health Nurse Janice Jardine and Public Health Dietitian Chanelle Melanson will be speaking with local businesses in Blackville in regards to their Breastfeed Anywhere button campaign. Staff from local businesses, restaurants and municipalities are encouraged to wear a Breastfeed Anywhere Button during breastfeeding week in order to show support to breastfeeding mothers.

Breastfeeding Week in Canada

By: Chanelle Melanson, Public Health Dietitian
Member of the Regional BFI Committee in Miramichi.

Breastfeeding is a natural way to feed your baby. Mothers produce breast milk that is unique and made specifically for their own baby. It provides all the nutrition that they need to grow and develop adequately. Research clearly indicates that breastfeeding provides many health benefits for babies and their mothers.

The Canadian Pediatric Society, Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and continued for up to two years or longer, along with age appropriate foods.

Breastfeeding week is celebrated in Canada from October 1st to October 7th. This year’s theme “Breastfeeding: A Key to Sustainable Development” highlights the role that breastfeeding has when it comes to achieving the sustainable development goals, like ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity.

How does breastfeeding help achieve the sustainable development goals?
It is a low-cost, non-polluting way to feed children. Therefore, it contributes to poverty reduction and protection of our planet. Also, breast milk contains high quality nutrients that fulfill the nutritional needs of infants which help prevent hunger, undernutrition and obesity.

In Miramichi, the Regional Breastfeeding Committee, composed of community representatives, is organizing a few activities to celebrate Breastfeeding week.

• Quintessence Challenge: Oct. 1st at 10h30 am at Sobeys Douglastown.
  Challenge to see which city/province has the most breastfed babies in one spot at the same time. Come and join us! Prizes to be won.
• Radio spots about breastfeeding.
• Life size breastfeeding cut-outs will be placed in the community.
• Displays with information on breastfeeding will be found in the hospital foyer and at the Chatham Town Centre.
• Breastfeed Anywhere button campaign: Staff from local businesses, restaurants and municipalities are encouraged to wear a Breastfeed Anywhere Button during breastfeeding week in order to show support to breastfeeding mothers. Buttons are available at Public Health.

Our community also provides a weekly Drop-In for breastfeeding mothers every Wednesday afternoon from 1h30 to 4h00pm at the Sobeys Douglastown community room. The Drop-in is available all year long! It is an opportunity for mothers to get together and meet other breastfeeding moms, chat about their experiences, have their baby weighed and see a lactation consultant as well as a dietitian, who always provides healthy snacks. Feel free to drop by on a Wednesday and come chat with us. Everybody is welcome.

During breastfeeding week, take the opportunity to learn more about breastfeeding and the effects it has on our children’s health. Your support and acceptance for breastfeeding families is very important to help give a child the best start possible in life.