Breastfeeding in Singapore, The Mass Latch On!

Breast is best

World Breastfeeding Week is an annual event organised by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action in more than 120 countries, in an effort to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of breastfeeding.

PIGEON and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital celebrate World Breastfeeding Week in Singapore

More than 130 nursing mothers from different walks of life came together for a mass latch on at United Square Shopping Centre on 1 August – the first synchronised breastfeeding event in a retail mall!

This activity was part of an event co-organised by PIGEON Singapore and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, and Singapore’s 50th birthday.

#normalizebreastfeeding in Singapore

In many parts of the world, breastfeeding in the public is still seen as a social taboo. Much of it arises from the people’s notions about the exposure of the mother’s breast while feeding. PIGEON proudly champions breastfeeding and hopes that this significant public event will encourage more mothers to breastfeed by reducing their reluctance to do so in the public.

This truly inspiring collective and collaborative community event saw women from different social, cultural and family backgrounds gather together to lend their support to each other and nurse their children alongside fellow mothers in public. All participants also received a goodie bag with $80 worth of PIGEON products.

Find out what happened at The SG Mass Latch On below...

Can you spot yourself and your little one at the SG MASS LATCH ON 2015 last Saturday? It was an amazing day where moms from different walks of life came together and latch on their babies at the same time! Thank you for celebrating World Breastfeeding Week in Singapore with us! :)

Posted by Pigeon Singapore on Thursday, 6 August 2015

Bonded by motherhood

A participant at the mass latch on, new mum Mandy said, "I think it’s very nice to see all the mummies coming together, especially those who do not breastfeed in public often."

This opinion resonates with mum blogger Justine who added, "I think when the mums come together and they are able to comfortably breastfeed in public, it gives them a bit of empowerment to say, hey whatever I am doing for my kid, is the right thing to do..."

Breast milk helps babies become stronger

"KKH, as a baby-friendly hospital under the World Health Organisation’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, fully supports breastfeeding as it has many benefits and is the best gift that a mother can give to her child.

Besides providing all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that an infant requires for the first six months, breast milk also contains the mother’s antibodies which can help the child to combat diseases," said Dr Chua Mei Chien, Head, Special Care Nursery, and Senior Consultant, Department of Neonatology, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

PIGEON supports mums in their breastfeeding journey

PIGEON believes that breastmilk is best for babies and through this event aimed to encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months, as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

"At PIGEON, we strongly advocate breastfeeding and are firm believers in the benefits it brings to infants," says Mr Yuusuke Nakata, Managing Director of PIGEON Singapore Pte Ltd.

However, in Singapore, like in other parts of the world, many women stop breastfeeding before their babies turn six months old. One of the most common reasons for doing so is the inconvenience faced by mums after returning to the workplace.

Breastfeeding doesn't have to stop when you go back to work!

It is important to note that breastfeeding does not need to stop when you have the right support. Says Mr Yuusuke Nakata, Managing Director of PIGEON Singapore Pte Ltd. "To help support mothers in their breastfeeding journey, we continuously innovate and improve our range of products.

For instance, our latest breast pump range with enhanced features will give mothers peace of mind, knowing they can breastfeed comfortably and still provide nature’s nutrition during a busy workday."

Breastfeeding benefits!

It is important that mothers continue to breastfeed for as long as possible. While just the bonding between a mother and child during this moment benefits the child’s lifelong development in areas such as behaviour and speech, the nutrients in the breast milk lower the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, leukaemia and childhood allergies.

For mothers, breastfeeding immediately after delivery reduces their risk of post-partum haemorrhage. In the longer term, it reduces their risk of Type 2 diabetes and the likelihood of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.

PIGEON helps back-at-work mum breastfeed for longer

While advocating the importance of breastfeeding, PIGEON also recognises the challenges mothers face with an ever-increasing busy lifestyle.

Staying true to the brand’s commitment of caring for the needs of both mother and infant, PIGEON has thoughtfully conceptualised the "PIGEON Smile Cycle"; a three-stage "Express, Store and Feed" system that aims to make breastfeeding convenient and enjoyable.

PIGEON helps mums breeze through their breastfeeding journey - especially those returning to the workplace. With PIGEON's new breast pump range designed with features to fit Asian mothers, PIGEON helps mums to continue breastfeeding when they are back at work!