World Breastfeeding Week

August 1–7 is World Breastfeeding Week (based on the WHO website)!!! This is celebrated every year in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

I am a firm believer that breastfeeding is the most precious gift a mother can give to her child(ren). It is not a forever thing (as what some other critics around me say) but the benefits of this can be seen in the child's lifetime.  I breastfed my son for about 21 months only since I was pregnant with my second child. I wasn't educated well that I can still continue breastfeed even up to the 8th month of pregnancy. Please see KellyMom on this. I regretted not doing my research and had my OB decide when to totally stop cold-turkey my son's breastfeeding journey.  My initial target for C was to reach 2 years old. 
Now that I have given birth to our second child, S, I am more determined to reach this 2 years old mark and enjoy my breastfeeding lifestyle with the support of breastfeeding coach friends and supportees. With new-found determination and a strong support system behind me on this, there is totally nothing I won't be able to do!
Getting back to breastfeeding and being one of the many supporters, I tell friends and relatives that this takes a lot of sacrifice, commitment and conviction to do that only a mother can decide for herself.  My decision to breastfeed had made me the woman/mother/partner that I am today. I had to learn how to be stronger for my kids and provide a more vocal supporter to other mothers who are going through what I did.

August Breastfeeding Month has a full schedule of events in and around town can be found at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom here. The breastfeeding community is all excited to kick them off!

One of those activities that will be important to S and me since we will be there is the Breastfreeding MOB set in Manila on August 3, 2013 - 3pm at Rajah Sulayman Park, Roxas Boulevard Manila. This is the park beside the original Aristrocrat and Max's Fried Chicken. It is open to all, not only breastfeeding families but also supporters and everyone that would like to help raise awareness in breastfeeding.
Registration is requested since there will be buttons for the mothers who will be attending this event. Please make sure you register at the Eventbrite page here to get your personalized button.
To know more about the event, you can find it here at the BFP Event Page. I hope you come and introduce yourself to us if you do come. :)
Spread the word - let's make breastfeeding a norm and not a taboo!

The below are some wonderful posters from the WHO site that provides ways of promoting breastfeeding whether you are a parent, relative, co-worker, etc. I cannot wait to attend the other activities this August to promote Breastfeeding in the Philippines.
For now, happy Breastfeeding month to all my readers!