Kelowna

Photo: Contributed - Ragnar Haagen

All across the world today mothers were taking part in the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge.

Their goal was to break a world record for the most simultaneously breastfed babies.

“Women and their children latch on at 11 a.m. and the goal is to bring awareness to breastfeeding and to support and promote it in our community,” explained Lisa Ford who co-facilitates the Kelowna Breastfeeding Café along with Chantal Kozar.

This is the 12th year that Kelowna has taken part in the breastfeeding challenge and this was their biggest turnout ever.

“We had 65 babies latched on  -- there were 64 moms and one had twins,” laughed Ford.

“Last year we had 27 mothers, and it was rainy, but this is definitely our best year yet.“

The event took place at the Kelowna Farmer’s Market by Orchard Park Mall, with the group hoping to show that it’s normal to breastfeed in public.

“Its important to have a breastfeeding community wherever you are for support and actually breastfeeding rates in Kelowna are lower than our surrounding areas,” says Ford.

“We started Kelowna Breastfeeding Café to provide that support for breastfeeding moms and the more support there is for breastfeeding the more chance that rates will go up and women will feel more comfortable breastfeeding in public and that’s what we’re hoping to do, normalize breastfeeding.”

Ford added the event also has the support of Interior Health and Kelowna midwives.

For more information, email them at breastfeedingiscool@gmail.com