Martha’s Vineyard hosts Breastfeeding World’s “Big Latch On”

0
—Alexia Garcia

From August 1 to 7 every year, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action organizes World Breastfeeding Week to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding and the need for global support. According to a press release, the week is celebrated in 120 countries and marks the signing of the WHO/UNICEF document the Innocenti Declaration, which lists the benefits of breastfeeding, plus global and governmental goals.

On Friday, August 5, and Saturday, August 6, thousands of breastfeeding women and their babies/children across the world will gather in their own communities to take part in the global “Big Latch On,” a synchronized breastfeeding event. This year, Martha’s VIneyard is one of those communities. Breastfeeding World will be hosting a “Big Latch On” on August 5 at 9:45 am in Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs.

Alexia Garcia, an MVRHS 2008 graduate and photographer, created the project Breastfeeding World, and since its conception in 2014 she has photographed more than 100 breastfeeding moms in iconic places around New York City and Martha’s Vineyard with the goal of promoting and encouraging new moms to take the path of nursing their little ones. Breastfeeding World has become a growing online community of support for new parents starting their breastfeeding journeys.

“Bringing this event to smaller communities like the Island is important. Breastfeeding World seeks to create awareness of the importance of breastfeeding as well as educate our Island community on a woman’s right to breastfeed in public,” said Ms. Garcia.