Indy, LLL latch-on events sprouting up across Canada and the US

What's a latch-on?

It's a celebration of breastfeeding! Women gather in the same place and latch on their babies all at once. The idea started in Australia in 1999 when 536 children were latched on and was picked up the following year by Quintessence Foundation. Every year Quintessence hosts the annual Breastfeeding Challenge in October during Canada's national breastfeeding week. By 2003 the celebrations had expanded to sites around the globe.


The world record?

In 2002 a group of moms in Berkeley, California, challenged the Australian record and set a new world record of 1,130 children breastfeeding simultaneously. In 2006 a group of moms in the Philippines set a new world record of 3,738 children breastfeeding at one site and the following year registered 590 sites with over 22,500 women breastfeeding their children. According to Quintessence,

"The organizers of this massive 2007 event, the Children for Breastfeeding and the Nurturers of the Earth in partnership with WABA, explained that "these events were organized because at the time, US lobbyists and businesses were trying were trying to get the Department of Health to water down breastfeeding advocates efforts to strengthen the laws that protect breastfeeding. The battle with the companies reached the Supreme Court and the halls of the Philippine Senate and Congress in public hearings."  This was certainly an impressive effort!" (From History of the Quintessence Challenge)

Big Latch On 

New Zealand has been hosting a latch-on since 2002 and has had over 1,000 moms and children breastfeeding at one site. In 2005 the Big Latch On initiative was started by the Women's Health Action Trust in New Zealand to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week in August. There are now almost 100 sites in New Zealand. In 2011 the movement was brought to the USA by the company Small Beginnings Group and according to their website the The Big Latch On grew with the support of La Leche League to include sites across the US.



LLLUSA and Indy latch-on events
Concern over private ownership and inappropriate corporate sponsorship has led to an pause in the partnership between The Big Latch On and some non-profit organizations. La Leche League USA is hosting latch-on events under its own umbrella "Live, Love Latch" site and there are also independent latch-on events being held:

Latch On Events:
Aug 1
Arkansas
Live, Love, Latch Potluck, Little Rock, Arkansas
La Leche League of Central Arkansas

Aug 2
Alabama
Live Love Latch, Mobile, Alabama
La Leche League of Mobile and Baldwin Counties

Alberta
Greater Edmonton Latch On, Edmonton, Alberta

Arizona
Live Love Latch Family Picnic, Sierra Vista, Arizona
La Leche League of Sierra Vista

California

World Breastfeeding Week 2014 - Ms. Wright's Way, Granada Hills, California
Ashley Wright

Latch and Link Long Beach, Long Beach, California

3rd Annual Breastfeeding Celebration, Stockton, California
La Leche League of Lodi

Live Love Latch, Ventura, California
Breastfeeding Coalition of Ventura County and La Leche League Ventura

Colorado
Live, Love, Latch, Fort Collins, Colorado
La Leche League Fort Collins

Florida
Live, Love, Latch, Boynton Beath, Florida
La Leche League of Lake Worth/Boynton Beach

MiLLLk and Cookies: A toast to World Breastfeeding Week
La Leche League of Marion County

Georgia
Live, Love, Latch, World Breastfeeding Rally and Info Fair, St. Mary's, Georgia
South Georgia World Breastfeeding Week Committee

Idaho
Live Love Latch Family Picnic, Treasure Valley, Idaho
La Leche League of Treasure Valley

Indiana
Live Love Latch Family Festival, New Albany, Indiana
La Leche League of Southern Indiana

Live Love Latch Family Picnic, West Lafayette, Indiana
La Leche League of Greater Lafayette

Minnesota
Live, Love, Latch, Mankato, Minnesota
La Leche League of Mankato/St. Peter

Missouri
World Breastfeeding Week Family Picnic, Springfield, Missouri
La Leche League of Springfield

Live Love Latch Kickoff Picnic, St. Louis, Missouri
La Leche League of St. Louis

Mamafest, Rolla, Missouri
Rolla Birth Network

New Mexico
Live Love Latch Ice Cream Social, Farmington, New Mexico
La Leche League

New York State
Live Love Latch Celebration, Twin Tiers, New York
La Leche League of Twin Tiers

Ohio
World Breastfeeding Week and Live Love Latch Family Picnic, Mason, Ohio
La Leche League Cincinnati

Columbus Latch and Splash, Columbus, Ohio
Clintonville Breastfeeding Support Group

Oklahoma
Community Breastfeeding Celebration, Duncan, Oklahoma
La Leche League of Duncan & the Oklahoma Mothers' Milk Bank

Live, Love Latch in the Heartland!, Norman, Oklahoma

Oregon
Live Love Latch Breastfeeding Family Faire, Rogue River, Oregon
Breastfeeding Coalition of Josephine County/La Leche League of Grant's Pass

The Breastfeed'in, Eugeine-Springfield, Oregon
Daisy C.H.A.I.N. Creating Healthy Alliances

Pennsylvania
Lancaster Celebration, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
La Leche League Groups of Lancaster County

Live, Love, Latch Picnic, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
La Leche League of Greencastle/Waynesboro,

South Carolina
Live, Love Latch in the Low Country, Charleston, South Carolina

Texas
Latch On Texas, Austin, Texas

Latch On Texas, Dallas, Texas

Latch On Texas, Fort Worth, Texas
Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition

Tennessee
Celebration, Lewisburg, Tennessee

Virginia
RVA Latches On!, Richmond, Virginia
Richmond Health Action Alliance



Washington
Skagit Family Jubilee, Burlington, Washington



Contact the editor to add an event.

See also: Who own's breastfeeding, or why I'm troubled by the Big Latch On this year