The Kane County Breastfeeding Coalition will host its first Big Latch On event Aug. 5 and 6, at three Kane County locations: Visiting Nurse Association in Aurora, Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, and Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

What is the Big Latch On?

The Global Big Latch On is hosted at registered locations around the world. The event is an opportunity for women to come together to breastfeed and offer peer support to each other. All breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women and families are welcome to join the celebration to promote and support breastfeeding as a healthy infant feeding choice.

Coalition leaders say hosting the Big Latch On in the Kane County area will create a lasting support network for the community.

The Global ‘Big Latch On’ History

In 2005 Women’s Health Action started the Big Latch On in New Zealand. In 2010 the Big Latch On was introduced to Portland, OR, by Joanne Edwards and 2,045 children were breastfed among two countries at the event. In 2011, a member of Le Leche League USA, Annie Brown, worked with Joanna to expand the Big Latch On all around the United States.

As of 2015, records show that there are now 28 participating countries, 654 individual locations, 14,889 breastfeeding children who have latched on, 15,336 breastfeeding women and 36,502 people in attendance at the event. (http://biglatchon.org/about/)

Spread the Word

The Kane County Breastfeeding Coalition is asking residents to help promote this event, engage the community members as well as increase awareness of breastfeeding as a great and normal infant feeding choice.

You can do this by following the coalition’s Facebook page, sharing posts, liking posts and tagging mothers, breastfeeding moms, soon to be moms, and families on our page! To learn more about the coalition including its membership, please visit the Kane County Health Department’s breastfeeding web page.

Locations, Times, & RSVP

VNA Health Care

• Address: 400 N. Highland Ave., Aurora, IL 60506
• When: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Aug. 5
• RSVP to Maria Vargas (630)-482-8158

Advocate Sherman Hospital

• Address: 1425 N. Randall Road, Elgin, IL 60123
• When: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Aug. 6
• RSVP to nicolebuczek@gmail.com

Northwestern Medicine’s Delnor Hospital

• Address: 351 Delnor Drive, Geneva, IL 60134
• When: 10-11:30 a.m. Aug. 5
• RSVP to (630)-208-4068