SABINA HIGGINS will host a 'Latching On' event at Áras an Uachtaráin tomorrow morning to bring together breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
Mrs Higgins, the wife of Ireland’s President, Michael D Higgins, will host the reception from 10.30am.
Supporters and campaigners for breastfeeding, including representatives of Cuidiú, La Leche League of Ireland, Community Midwives Association, Association for Improvement in Maternity Services (AIMS) and Friends of Breastfeeding, will also attend the event, which comes ahead of National Breastfeeding Week.
“The event celebrates the vital importance of breastfeeding as the corner stone of a child’s development and well-being,” a spokesperson for the President’s office said.
“The UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that feeding a baby exclusively on breast milk for the first six months, before introducing solids, will have ongoing benefits for its flourishing and for the health of the mother,” they added.
“The occasion also hopes to raise awareness of the link between breastfeeding and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, endorsed by world leaders in 2015,” they explained.
“Breastfeeding is identified as a vital key towards the achievement of the goals of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring security and inclusive prosperity for all the world’s citizens.”
In Ireland the HSE-led National Breastfeeding Week takes place annually from October 1 – 7.
