The Global BIG Latch On is an organization whose goal is to normalize breastfeeding.”Ashlee Wright
CULLMAN – This Saturday, Aug. 6, the third annual Cullman’s BIG Latch On will take place at Sportsman Lake Park at 10 a.m. Breastfeeding women from throughout Cullman County are invited to gather together to breastfeed their babies and offer peer support to each other during this time. Not only are these women encouraged to attend, but their friends, family and community can come along too! The BIG Latch On is an annual, global event that celebrates, promotes and supports breastfeeding.
“This is the third year we have had a location here in Cullman,” said Ashlee Wright, the event’s host. “Every year it has grown in size and all the little extras. One day I hope to make it a huge weekend affair.
“The Global BIG Latch On is an organization whose goal is to normalize breastfeeding,” she continued. “What happens is, groups of nursing moms and their supporters around the world gather together and either latch their babies, express milk or feed breast milk by spoon to their babies all at the exact same time. This year’s actual latch is from 10:30-10:31.
“Last year we helped break records yet again with the Global BIG Latch On, recording 36,502 attendees; 15,336 of them being breastfeeding women,” she giggled. “I am so excited to help break those records again this year! Every year the event just gets bigger and bigger!
“This year at the Cullman BIG Latch On, Tiffiney Crawford, founder of the Mothers Helping Mothers Facebook group, will be there. Also, the ladies from the local baby wearing group will be there to show us how we can pair nursing and baby wearing together,” she smiled. “Lindsey Dilworth, Cullman County's only certified car seat technician, will also be at this year’s BIG Latch On!! She will have a booth set up and will be doing demonstrations on car seat safety. Of course we'll have our annual giveaway, snacks and lots of fun.”
The Global BIG Latch On also recognizes moms who pump. They can participate in the event simply by expressing their milk either by hand or by pump along with the group counts.
“Pumping is serious hard work and takes an insane amount of dedication,” said Wright. “I love that this organization supports breastfeeding in every form.”
The Global BIG Latch On is a highly successful community development initiative whose goal is to raise awareness of breastfeeding. It encourages the formation of support groups between breastfeeding women. It also aims to normalize breastfeeding as a part of daily life.
If you are a nursing mother or know someone who is, come on out to Sportsman Lake Saturday, Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. and join in on all the fun! The event will be located by the stage. For more information about the event, contact Wright at wright.fam.2005@gmail.com or follow the group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cullmanbiglatchon.
For more information about the Global BIG Latch On, visit www.biglatchon.org.
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