https://docs.google.com/document/d/19op5LQ0na8vFwZzigGr9zqh7HEGxoHp1myv8wEtSExQ/edit
By Alyssa Slager
Communications Intern
August 10, 2015
“Baby do the WABA Crawl; You can feel so big and tall; Throw the bottle to the wall; All the others, they feel small.” This opening verse of the WABA theme song rings through the ears of people all over the world from August 1st to the 7th. But backup…what’s WABA? Why are we singing? And how come we’re throwing the bottle to the wall?
Last week, August 1st – 7th, was World Breastfeeding Week coordinated by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, or WABA. As stated by the US Department of Agriculture, this is a week dedicated to the appreciation of breastfeeding mothers and all other dedicated professionals, volunteers, communities, and organizations who support their efforts.
In a New York restaurant almost 25 years ago, the seed was planted for a celebration of breastfeeding. WABA was created on this night and there was talk of establishing a week to commemorate breastfeeding. The following year, the first ever World Breastfeeding Week, or WBW, was celebrated. Ever since, this seed has grown immensely with over 120 countries, UNICEF, WHO, and countless other organization recognizing and partaking in WBW.
Similar to other awareness days around the world, WBW gloats a theme and this year the theme was: Breastfeeding and Work: Let’s Make it Work! The aim is to encourage a positive combination of child-rearing and work. To do this WBW urges for the support of women who engage in this, as well as action to create and implement maternity protection laws. WABA, UNICEF, and WHO each created stats sheets and action plans to guide people in fulfilling the objectives of this year’s theme.
We at Niagara hope everyone’s World Breastfeeding Week was filled with awareness, acceptance, and, of course, the WABA theme song!