With the month of July quickly coming to an end and August approaching fast, the Department of Public Health and Social Services wants to remind the community that the coming new month has been designated Guam Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
To empower parents and enable breastfeeding — that is this year’s theme as declared by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding acting along with the Guam Breastfeeding Action Team, and the Non-Communicable Disease Consortium of the Department of Public Health and Social Services, which includes the Guam Memorial Hospital, Guam U.S. Naval Hospital, Guam Community College, University of Guam, Sagua Managu Birthing Center, and other community partners.
In preparation for the declaration of Guam’s Breastfeeding Awareness Month, the island’s breastfeeding moms, their infants, families and breastfeeding advocates will gather for the “Global Big Latch-On” next Saturday, Aug. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Government House in Agana Heights.
This worldwide event is held annually, every August, to celebrate global breastfeeding, provide peer support and to promote and normalize breastfeeding.
In conjunction with the “Global Big Latch-On,” a proclamation signing will also take place at 10 a.m.
In addition, there’s the 6th Annual Guam Breastfeeding Awareness Health Fair, which will be held at the Micronesia Mall’s Center Court on Saturday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. where residents can enjoy a wide variety of information, educational tabletop exhibits from various community service providers, family entertainment, and raffle prizes.
The fair is also intended to increase community awareness and support of breastfeeding on Guam and Guam’s public law known as the “Nana Yan Patgon Act” which allows working mothers to sustain their breast milk supply while at work and also serves to protect a woman’s right to breastfeed in private or public establishments.
For more information on either event, as well as registering as an exhibitor at the fair, you may contact or e-mail NCD Breastfeeding Action Team members Rachel Ramirez at 735-0675 email rachel.ramirez@dphss.guam-gov or Diana Santos at 735-7356 email diana.santos@dphss.guam-gov.
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