The Binational Breastfeeding Coalition partnered with the Empowerment Congress- Borderland Breastfeeding Initiative to host the 2022 Border Latch, an event to promote breastfeeding in public. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), in 2019, 83.4% of women ever breastfed mainly during their stay for baby’s birth, then at three and six months exclusive breastfeeding rates plummet to 52% at 3 months and 29% at 6 months. The World Health Organization and the American Pediatrics Association recommend breastfeeding for two years and beyond. It’s unfortunate that breastfeeding rates are low considering the benefits it offers to babies, mothers, household income, work place, education, the environment, the health system and the economy at local, state, national and international levels.
The Border Latch brings breastfeeding parents together to form a bond through shared experiences in which they feel they are not alone in their breastfeeding journey. The event took place on Friday August 5, 2022 at the front lawn of the Sunland Park New Mexico City building. Sixteen Mother-Baby pairs participated as well as two pregnant women. They all in turn brought the rest of their family members to the event.
Health professionals from Doña Ana County, NM and El Paso, TX set up information tables. In the Sunland Park Library adjacent to the front lawn, two breastfeeding exhibits were presented. The first one, titled “Anyone can Breastfeed”, created by the National Perinatal Association, depicts colorful images that suggest that anyone can breastfed regardless of race, ethnic group, gender (chest-feeding), or occupation. The second one, titled “Breastfeeding El Paso and Ciudad Juarez”, shows images of breastfeeding across the border area.
The event was covered by 5 local news outlets and it was well received in the New Mexico Colonia area. The Binational Breastfeeding Coalition also partnered with Ciudad Juárezand on Saturday, August 6, Ciudad Juárez hosted the Gran Tetada Fronteriza. Together at both events, 81 mothers breastfed simultaneously for this year, breaking last year's record. In 2021, the event was hosted via Zoom where 74 mothers participated.
