SIDNEY —There will be a uniting of breastfeeding mothers for one minute on Saturday, Aug. 3, during the annual Big Latch On 2019. This is the fifth year the event will be held in Sidney.
From 10:30 to 10:31 a.m. nursing babies and toddlers will latch onto their mothers during the event, which will be held at courtsquare in downtown Sidney.
Registration for the event begins at 9:30 said co-organizer Kamille Lambert.
“Last year was our biggest event with 46 breastfeeding moms attending,” said Lambert.
Two speakers will be addressing the moms during the event.
Jennifer Steinke will be discussing cranial sacral therapy, which can be used for people of all ages, even babies. It can help with headaches and migraines, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, disturbed sleep cycles and insomnia, scoliosis and sinus infections.
Ashley Himes, owner of the local State Farm Agency, is a woman entrepreneur who will discuss breastfeeding her baby and taking the baby to work with her.
“After the latch on, we will hold a luncheon for the moms,” said Lambert. “Last year, the moms said they had such a good time, that they wished something else could be done so hey could stay and visit. So we decided to go with a luncheon for them. We’ll be holding a picnic on the lawn. We’re winging it as we go.”
Door prizes will be given away, she said. There will also be a Tula baby carrier given away. There will also be a photo booth available for the moms and babies to get their picture taken.
Goodie bags will be given to the first 50 moms who register for the event Saturday morning. WIC, Wilson Health an State Farm will all have booths at the event.
“I’m surprised how the event has grown,” said Lambert, who has participated in all five events. “What’s most surprising is how the women have come together. This is absolutely my most favorite event to attend.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live,” she said. “they can relate to one another because they are all breastfeeding mothers.
Lambert said the community is lucky to have businesses who support mothers when they go back to work.
“We have a coalition to increase breastfeeding women in Shelby County,” said Lambert. “The hardest part is going back to work an still being able to pump at work. It’s very important for companies to provide an area for breastfeeding mothers.”
Prior to the first Big Latch On, Lambert learned about the event in the newspaper and attended it. The next two years, she was employed by WIC and attended it with the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department and as breastfeeding mom.
Last year and this year she has served as co-chairman with Meghan Moniaci.
“I’ve loved how the event has grown,” said Lambert, who added this will probably be her last one as a breastfeeding mom. At one time, she was breastfeeding both her daughters at the same time.
“I wonder how my biological right has become a social justice movement,” she said.
Research, she said, has shown that breastfeeding can help prevent breast, ovarian and cervical cancer.
“The longer you nurse, the less likely the chance for you to get one of the cancers,” said Lambert.
The Big Latch On was started in 2005 in New Zealand by the Women’s Health action. Joanne Edwards with the Small Beginnings Group LLC introduced the event in Portland, Oregon, in 2010. In 2011, the movement grew across the United States.
Women’s Health Action and Edwards joined forces in 2012.
In 2018, almost 60,000 people around the world participated in the Big Latch On. There were 22,592 breastfeeding parents attending the global events with over 21,500 breastfeeding babies latched on during the event.
In Shelby County, approximately 46 breastfeeding moms participated in the event.
