Women and babies will gather at sites around the world for the 9th annual Breastfeeding Challenge! The Quintessence Foundation sponsors the global event:
On October 3, 2009 at 11:00 am mothers and children at sites across Canada, the United States and other countries will compete to set the record for the most children breastfeeding at one time. The winners of the competition will be the site with the most children breastfeeding at one site, the country with the most children breastfeeding at registered sites and in North America the region (province or territory or state) with the most children participating as …read more

The vast majority of Breastfeeding 1-2-3 readers are from the United States, with nearly 10 times as many visitors from the U.S. than from the second country on the list. Can you guess what the next four countries are? I will give you a little hint:
The next four countries are:
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. India
5. Australia
I have been talking a lot about breastfeeding advocacy opportunities in the United States, so tonight I would like to share a breastfeeding advocacy opportunity for each of the other four countries listed. Please feel free to leave a comment if you are from any …read more

If you will be in the Toronto area on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008, please consider attending this breastfeeding rally to support Dr. Jack Newman and funding for the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute. RSVP by December 1st! Organizers gave permission to post the following information:
Dr. Jack Newman, the Toronto doctor known around the world as a leader in breastfeeding education and support, needs your help. The Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute sees more than 2500 mothers and babies each year, but is on the verge of closing its doors unless it receives more funding. The NBCI is requesting donations, but …read more

While I have not heard official word from the mothers involved in the rally, readers Kate and Kelly both alerted me to an excellent article at Parent Central. Susan Pigg reports:
Fearing that dozens of angry lactivists might show up at her pool, Karkouti contacted York Regional Police.
When it became clear they had no intention of sending uniformed officers, she says, Karkouti hired $400 worth of her own protection – four security guards who kept the 20 or so protesters, many of them children, at bay.
“I guess that’s what they come with,” Karkouti said yesterday of the Kevlar-clad guards. “I …read more

In light of the intense debate generated by the post on a pool owner asking a mother to breastfeed in the change room, it might be enlightening for all interested to review the Ontario, Canada law on breastfeeding in public.
Section 10(2) The Ontario Human Rights Code specifies:
The right to equal treatment without discrimination because of sex includes the right to equal treatment without discrimination because a woman is or may become pregnant.
R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19, s. 10 (2).
The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) developed a Policy on Discrimination Because of Pregnancy and Breastfeeding (PDF document) which further explains the law …read more

Image by _shward_ of past breastfeeding rally
You are invited to a breastfeeding rights rally on Friday, November 7, 2008, in Newmarket, Ontario.
The Breastfeeding Discrimination Incident
Nursing mother Cinira Longuinho explains:

I was breastfeeding my daughter on the steps of the swimming pool when Ms. Ellie Karkouti, the owner of the facility, came to speak with me. Ms. Karkouti said they had one complaint and that I could not breastfeed my daughter in the swimming pool. She said if I wanted to breastfeed I would have use the changeroom. I tried to say that based on the law I had the right to …read more

Happy Thanksgiving Canadians! Today is a great day not only for giving thanks for all of your good fortune, but also for thinking of a way you can give back. Click on the International Volunteer Day and Breastfeeding 1-2-3 Challenge to learn 20 breastfeeding-related ways to volunteer on International Volunteer Day Friday, December 5, 2008. Let me know what you commit to do, and spread the word about the Challenge!

There is still plenty of time to sign up for the Breastfeeding Challenge 2008! So far there are 105 sites registered in five different countries (Canada, United States, France, Cyprus, and Luxembourg). Reminder details:
The Quintessence Foundation plans the 8th annual Breastfeeding Challenge, scheduled this year for October 11, 2008. Basically it’s a friendly competition to promote breastfeeding:
This fun event is a challenge for which geographic area (province, state or territory) has the most breastfeeding babies, as a percentage of the birthrate, “latched on” at 11am local time.
Last year’s event involved 5,383 babies at 230 sites across Canada and the United …read more

Looking for a last-minute calendar for 2007 or just want to see some beautiful and thought-provoking breastfeeding photos? Try these offerings from around the world (note: I don’t have any affiliation with these groups). Entries that start with asterisks **** include copies of each month’s photo on-line:
**** Australians might enjoy the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) 2007 calendar (gorgeous photos if you just want to take a peek!) for AUD $15.00 including GST.
**** Lucky residents of Sonoma County, California might find paper versions of the 2007 Breastfeeding Calendar at area hospitals and health clinics (everyone else can click on the link …read more

These gift ideas run the gamut from free to $35, from practical to just plain fun. There’s something for every budget and every nursing mother, from the mother-to-be to the die-hard lactivist.