Happy National Breastfeeding Month and World Breastfeeding Week!

          Did you know that the month of August is designated as National Breastfeeding Month? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health hosts this breastfeeding awareness campaign to promote breastfeeding to first time parents who would not otherwise breastfeed their babies. The campaign raises awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding as well as how to overcome early breastfeeding issues with the goal of raising the number of moms who continue to breastfeed to at least 6 months of age.

          In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, TheBump.com partnered with celebrity moms such as Constance Marie, Lisa Loeb, and Kelly Rutherford, to create this video highlighting the benefits of breastfeeding:

          This week, August 1-7, is also designated as World Breastfeeding Week. World Breastfeeding Week is sponsored by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and has been celebrated every year throughout the world since 1991. Many breastfeeding awareness events such as walks, fundraisers, family fun days, picnics, etc. take place this week throughout the world in order to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding and where to get breastfeeding help.

          This year, in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, on Saturday, August 6th, 2011, at 10:30 am local time, moms and babies all over the world will be getting together for The Big Latch On to try to break the record for the most women breastfeeding at the same time. Babies must be latched on for one whole minute, from 10:30 to 10:31 am local time in order to count towards the total. Many of the locations are having goodies, raffles, giveaways, and other family fun events simultaneously.

         To celebrate National Breastfeeding Month and World Breastfeeding Week, I will be posting as much information about breastfeeding as I can on here and on the Diary of a Natural Mom Facebook page as well as on my personal Facebook page. I will also make it a point to talk about breastfeeding with everyone I know and......... {BIG SHOCK HERE}........ I will make more efforts to breastfeed in public (GASP!!)!! Dan, Daniel, and I plan to attend and participate in The Big Latch On in Tampa and I will be reporting back to you and posting pictures from the event. Hopefully my little wiggle worm will cooperate and latch on for the entire minute without being distracted! What are you doing to promote breastfeeding? How many of you are attending The Big Latch On in your area?