This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Global Big Latch On.

Thousands of breastfeeding people and their babies/children across the world will gather in their own communities to take part in the Global Big Latch On, a synchronized breastfeeding event in multiple locations.

The Ellis County Global Big Latch On will take place at Massey Park in Hays on Saturday, August 3 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Ellis County Breastfeeding Coalition invites all breastfeeding mothers and supporters to take part in this worldwide event.

This year’s goal is to break the current Global Big Latch On record of almost 21,500 children breastfeeding at 778 locations, across 28 countries.

The Global Big Latch On is informed by the principles of community development, providing the opportunity for breastfeeding women to get together in their local communities, host their own events, and identify opportunities for on-going support.

Go to www.biglatchon.org to learn more.Breastfeeding contributes to the normal growth and development of babies/children, and babies/children who are not breastfed are at increased risk of infant morbidity and mortality, adult obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and premenopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer (both mom and baby).

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of a baby’s life to optimize these benefits, continuing to breastfeed for 2 years and as long thereafter as is mutually desired by a woman and her child.

For more information contact Cathleen Kroeger, Ellis County Breastfeeding Coalition chair at 785-477-1277 or [email protected].