Commercial Drive resident Catherine Zaborowska knows a thing or two about breastfeeding.
The young mother has literally had her hands full learning the techniques of breast-feeding since giving birth to twin boys five months ago.
They were premature so I was lucky to have enough milk for both, said Zaborowska, who is hoping to take part in the 2011 Breastfeeding Challenge at the Creekside Community Centre in False Creek Saturday, Oct. 1.
Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Coastal Health, which organized the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»challenge, is encouraging nursing mothers to attend in hopes of helping set a new Guinness World Record for most babies breastfed at the same time. The Breastfeeding Challenge is an international initiative organized by the Vancouver-based Quintessence Foundation, which launched the event in 2001. Quintessence is a foundation established in 1998 with a focus on breastfeeding and milk bank education. Similar breast-feeding challenge events will be held around the world Oct. 1.
Zaborowska said breastfeeding two babies has presented its own challenges, but she was able to overcome problems with the help of the doula who offered advice during her pregnancy, the lactation consultant she met with at the hospital after giving birth and through the parents and babies program she attends weekly at the Robert and Lilly Lee Family Health Care Centre, a Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Coastal Health Facility on East Broadway.
I was lucky and had lots of support and information, said Zaborowska, who admits breastfeeding two babies can be an exhausting task. But it still takes a lot of time on the couch.
Zaborowskas ease with breastfeeding has helped her support newer mothers who attend the drop-in group. She also supports mothers who want to breastfeed in public without being asked to hide.
Breastfeeding is a natural thing and I bet all of the people who are bothered by it were breastfed, said Zaborowska. You shouldnt be forced to hide, but on the other hand I never make an exhibition of it so I breastfeed anywhere I need to.
Leslie Mills, with Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Coastal Health, agrees breastfeeding can be a challenge for some mothers. To help them out, the health authority is seeking a breastfeeding friendly designation before 2015 from the Breastfeeding Committee of Canada. That entails, in part, ensuring all staff are educated to support breastfeeding mothers and all facilities are receptive to breastfeeding.
Mills hopes to see more breastfeeding mothers and babies at this years challenge than the 50 who participated last year.
And its not just moms who attend, but also dads and siblings, said Mills.
Two members of the all-female a cappella group The Shirleys are performing during the challenge, as well as childrens entertainers GoGo Bonkers.
The event runs at the Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way in False Creek from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Latch-on is at 11 a.m.
Twitter: @sthomas10
