- Title: Thousands of Filipino mothers join mass breastfeeding campaign
- Date: 18th August 2019
- Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 18, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF MOTHERS RAISING THEIR INFANTS INTO THE AIR MOTHERS NURSING THEIR INFANTS WHILE CHANTING VARIOUS OF MOTHERS WAVING WHILE NURSING INFANTS INFANT BREASTFEEDING MOTHER TAKING PHOTO WITH NURSING INFANT VARIOUS OF INFANT BREASTFEEDING (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino/English) BREASTFEEDING PINAYS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, NORMI ALVAIRA-HERRERA, SAYING: "The common notion is that there should be a specific area for them to breastfeed, they need to cover themselves when they are breastfeeding or there's already a formula that you can give your children, especially if your children are already toddlers, you should stop breastfeeding them already. Those are common myths that we want to debunk because they are not evidence-based, and the reason we hold events like these Hakab Na (Latch On) is to show that there are evidence-based research studies that show breastfeeding is actually beneficial for children two years and beyond." VARIOUS OF MOTHERS WAVING WHILE NURSING INFANTS (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) BREASTFEEDING MOTHER WITH FIVE-MONTH-OLD INFANT, MAY ANN DE LEON, SAYING: "There is no need to be cautious because breastfeeding is so safe, because it's sterile and clean, and you have no other need to worry about it." BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS, MAY ANN DE LEON AND HAYZEL TORRES, NURSING INFANTS WOMAN NURSING INFANT (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino/English) BREASTFEEDING MOTHER WITH THREE-MONTH OLD INFANT, HAYZEL TORRES, SAYING: "That bond between mother and child (during breastfeeding) cannot be replaced. It's so sweet because every time you see him satisfied with the milk you provided and have that eye to eye contact he makes." MOTHERS SITTING WITH INFANTS MOTHER RAISING POSTER DEPICTING BREASTFEEDING PLACARD WITH MESSAGES SHOWING SUPPORT FOR BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS HOLDING VARIOUS PLACARDS
- Embargoed: 1st September 2019 07:05
- Keywords: Philippines breastfeeding nursing mothers women children babies mass breastfeeding campaign
- Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASQTN4P
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS NUDITY
Thousands of mothers in the Philippine capital Manila simultaneously nursed their children on Sunday (August 18) as part of a campaign to promote breastfeeding in public.
The organiser, Breastfeeding Pinays, said at least 2,300 participants joined the "Hakab Na (Latch On)" where mothers sat down together and breastfed their children for over one minute.
The campaign started in 2013 as a gathering of breastfeeding mothers to show support for breast milk and counter the stigma of nursing in public.
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Chief of Health and Nutrition Wigdan Madani said studies have shown mortality rates among children under five years old dramatically reduces if they have been breastfed, and that intelligence and motor skills also improve.
A 2013 report by the World Health Organization said only 34 percent of Filipino infants younger than six months have been exclusively breastfed.
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