DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 4 (PNA) — ‘Hakab Na 2015’ was a success in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental during the simultaneous breastfeeding activity conducted Saturday in connection with the celebration of the National Breastfeeding Awareness month in August.
Eighty to 100 mothers with little children participated in the simultaneous activity dubbed as the Big Latch On, an international activity where mothers latch on their babies from different locations around the world to create a world record.
The activity was on its third year, but the first to be conducted in Dumaguete under the auspices of non-government organizations to include the Breastfeeding Pinays (BFP), the KAYA Women Empowerment and Support Group, DAGIT Dumaguete as well as the Catholic Advocates for Religious Action (CARA) in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Dumaguete City.
Before the latch on, the mothers listened to a lecture on the proper way to breastfeed their children, proper positioning of the child, including the tips on how to improve milk flow by clearing block milk ducts and how to overcome most common breastfeeding challenges.
A working mother-participant of Hakab Na 2015 in Dumaguete said at first breastfeeding wasn’t that easy but eventually she and her baby found their rhythm.
Clay, who is a mother of a two-year old baby boy and a member of DAGIT Dumaguete said the benefits are countless for breastfeeding mothers, aside from fully developing the immune system of the child especially for exclusive breastfeeding for six months.
It also lowers the risk of breast cancers for mothers and when the mother is hypertensive, breastfeeding will help lower blood pressure.
As a full time working mother, Clay is urging companies and government offices to establish lactation stations as provided for under existing laws and give additional break time for breastfeeding mothers who are at work. Aside from less hassle, breastfeeding saves a lot of money because formula milk nowadays are too expensive, she pointed out.
Rotary Club of Dumaguete past president Butch Holtz said the partnership between the Rotary Club and the breastfeeding advocates came as a welcome development for the organization, whose vision to in all aspects of community service. (PNA)