RP headed to break own Guinness record on simultaneous breastfeeding
In Iloilo City hundreds of breastfeeding mothers
gathered at the Jaro Plaza covered gym.
Photo by A. Chris Fernandez
There is a very strong indication that the Philippines will break its own Guinness World Record on simultaneous breastfeeding it established in 2006.
Felix Armania of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Information System Development Division where the number of participants to Wednesday's “Sabay-Sabay, Sumuso sa Nanay! Year 2" are reported, said initial unofficial count showed that 3,086 mothers participated in the simultaneous breastfeeding.
The activity was simultaneously done nationwide at 10 am Wednesday morning.
The initial figure came from the country's different regions except the National Capital Region (NCR), where a big bulk of mothers were expected to participate, Armania said.
He said they expect the number to increase as the reporting will be closed at the end of office hours Wednesday.
The Sabay-Sabay, Sumuso sa Nanay! Year 2" is a simultaneous breastfeeding nationwide that aims not only to promote the advantages of exclusive breastfeeding but also to break the country's records for simultaneous breastfeeding in multiple sites.
The Philippines broke the Guinness Book of World Record for simultaneous breastfeeding in a single site last year when the country was able to mobilize 3,541 mothers to breastfeed at the San Andres Sports Complex and at the Civic Center in Manila.
The previous record was held by the United States in Berkeley, California with 1,130 mothers simultaneously breastfed in 2002.
Nona Castillo of the International Board of Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) was optimistic that the country will break its own record, stressing that Guinness Book requires only 10 sites compared to the 250-300 sites that the country had for today's simultaneous breastfeeding activity.
IBCLC is among the country's breastfeeding advocates.
In Paranaque alone, one of the sites for the activity, Castillo said 1,028 mothers participated in the breastfeeding program.
For his part, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III cited the benefits both mothers and infants could get from breastfeeding.
Duque was among the guests on Wednesday' simultaneous breastfeeding in Paranaque.
(PNA)