Breastfeeding fiesta in Whangārei for Big Latch On

Sarah Glen with her daughter Juno Horton (17 months) enjoying being at the mass milk bar.

There was a countdown, and then around 100 babies and toddlers latched on to their mum's breast.

It was more or less a synchronised dinner, although it took some littlies longer than others to get the idea of the Big Latch On in Whangārei yesterday.

There was a lot of letting go of the milk bar and looking around among the older babes in arms. It was tough with all those other very small people distracting them from the real task at hand — which was to enjoy a jolly good drink.

'Breastfeeding - the Foundation of Life' was the theme of the 2018 Big Latch On, which nationwide saw thousands of women celebrate the ability to feed their babies the perfect nutritional formula.

As in the previous three years, the number of mums at the Whangārei event at Toll Stadium was between 90 to 100, with some of them 'tandem feeding' more than one infant.

Others were grandmothers or friends supporting the mums and a couple of women who were feeding their infants from a bottle not a breast.

One of the organisers, Kylee Parker said while the annual event itself, La Leche League and lactation specialists sought to encourage and celebrate breastfeeding for its ongoing health benefits, they also offered support for women who, for various reasons, could not feed their babies.

Latch ons were also held in Kaitaia, Kerikeri and Rawene, and women throughout New Zealand who could not get to a live breastfeed fiesta could take part in a virtual gathering online.

Founded in New Zealand in 2005, the Big Latch On has gained publicity around the world and yesterday and today 23 countries would take part.