Inclement weather wouldn’t deter mothers in Carter County.
Converging at the Covered Bridge Park on Friday, approximately 150 mothers and their children took part in the local World Breastfeeding Week event.
“We’re excited to be out here today for World Breastfeeding Week,” Jilian Reece, director of the BABE Breastfeeding Coalition, said.
Reece went on to add that rainy weather did not throw off the “Big Latch On”, an annual event where mothers across the globe band together to show support for breastfeeding.
“We were able to do the “Big Latch On” event, where moms across the world have their child latch on at 10:30 a.m. in their local time zones,” Reece explained. “We had more moms latch this year compared to last year. We had 34 in total. It’s great to see these moms come together and support each other.”
The event is vital for continuing making the notice to the public that breastfeeding in public is OK, said Brittany Cornett with the Carter County Health Department.
“This is a very important event for these mothers,” she added. “A lot of moms don’t either have the support or know of the support they have. Having this event is a great way to bring moms together, show the importance of breastfeeding and normalize breastfeeding.”
Breastfeeding is an item that the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) recognizes as an ‘important way to help babies get off to a healthy start’.
“Each county had their own celebration,” Reece said. “In Unicoi, Washington, Johnson … each of the counties were able to band together.”
Showing support locally is vital, according to TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner.
“Community support for breastfeeding is essential to help more mothers make the important and health choice to breastfeed,” Dreyzehner said in a release issued by TDH. “We applaud the many businesses in Tennessee who have already made the commitment to create an environment that encourages mothers to breastfeed.”
Reece went on to thank the various vendors in attendance, which were comprised of: Elizabethton-Carter County Public Library, Carter County Health Department – home visiting, tobacco, WIC and breastfeeding programs, Downtown Chiropractic, TennCare Kids, Southern Appalachian Birth Network, Northeast Community Credit Union, CHIPS, Hands On, Niswonger Children’s Hospital, Read N Play, Blue Owl School of Music, Just Doula and the Rebecca Foundation’s Cloth Diaper Closet.
“The community has been great today,” Reece added. “It’s great to see these moms come out and know that they’re not alone. There are a lot of moms supporting them and encouraging them. It is also great to see them moms from last year that were either pregnant or had their little ones with them come back for this year’s event.”
Cornett, who serves as the breastfeeding counselor at the Carter County Health Department, said there are various ways of receiving information on the perks of starting children out to breastfeed.
“There are so many resources available,” she said. “We have the BABE Coalition Facebook page, different ways of getting information online, and most health departments have a breastfeeding counselor on staff. If anybody has any questions, we would be more than happy for them to stop by and help get them in the right direction.”