"Hakab Na! 2019" - National Breastfeeding Awareness Month

Our warmest greetings!

In celebration of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August, Breastfeeding Pinays (BFP), in partnership with the Department of Health, SM Cares, UNICEF, and World Vision, will organize a one-day breastfeeding activity called ‘Hakab Na! 2019’.

Now on its seventh year, Hakab Na! 2019 gathers from all over the Philippines, breastfeeding families, lactation experts, peer counselors, and breastfeeding advocacy supporters, to provide awareness of the health and economic benefits of breastfeeding, promote the importance of providing proper support to breastfeeding mothers and their families, and ultimately establish the Philippines as a breastfeeding nation.

Central to this celebration is the act of mothers simultaneously breastfeeding their children and the recognition of Hakab Na events all over the country this August.

The simultaneous breastfeeding activity in SMX Convention Center Manila starts at 10:00 AM.

EVENT DETAILS

WHAT:             Hakab Na! 2019

WHEN:           18 August 2019, Sunday

Registration starts at 7AM

Event proper starts at 8AM

Simultaneous Breastfeeding at 10:00 AM

WHERE:           Function Rooms 3-5, SMX Convention Center Manila, Pasay City

(Friends from the media are requested to register at the MEDIA BOOTH.)

For more information, please contact Ms. Normi Alvaira-Herrera at +639453210811 / (02) 332 9929 or hakabna.communications@gmail.com.

You may also follow their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/BFPLibrary/

Or Facebook Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/309290256614088/

Thank you!

About Hakab Na!

Hakab Na! is Breastfeeding Pinays’ annual event to promote, protect and support breastfeeding. Now on its seventh year, Hakab Na! is a community-building activity held to celebrate the World Breastfeeding Week every year. Central to this event is the simultaneous act of breastfeeding to celebrate and spread awareness on breastfeeding and its benefits to babies, children, mothers, fathers, the whole family, and even to the entire country. 

For Hakab Na! 2018, 7,069 mothers simultaneously latched their babies in 77 different locations around the country and 1 overseas. The main Hakab Na! 2018 event at the SMX Convention Center recorded 1,692 mothers and almost 5,000 in attendance.

About Breastfeeding Pinays

Breastfeeding Pinays (BFP), a SEC-registered, non-stock, non-profit organization, is an online breastfeeding community with the primary aim of providing proper information in breastfeeding management and support to mothers and Filipino families. It is made up of mothers, fathers, other family members, doctors, midwives, nurses, and other health professionals.

Founded on January 22, 2013, it started with a small group of mothers who shared a passion in empowering women and families for breastfeeding. To their surprise, their seemingly small initiative of opening a Facebook support group ballooned into a huge community—within the first 24 hours from its creation, Breastfeeding Pinays had 200 members. Today, the BFP community continues to grow and now has over 270,000 members.

Aside from providing information and support 24/7 through the Facebook group, BFP also holds pocket meet-ups in various locations for mothers encountering breastfeeding challenges, organizes talks and seminars on childbirth, breastfeeding, and Tamang KAIN (Kid and Infant Nutrition), and has also launched various breastfeeding activities such as photo exhibits and even a fashion show featuring nursing gowns.

Further, in order to address the need for evidence-based information, awareness, and support, BFP has come up with training and certification for breastfeeding peer counselors and specialized training on relactation management. Mothers, doctors, nurses, midwives, and other individuals who work with women, babies, and families are thus equipped not just with updated knowledge on breastfeeding science, but also with counseling skills that enable them to reach out and assist families, whether in their professional practice or in their volunteer work via one-on-one or group counseling.

The Wonder Boobies Tribe, led my Ms. Kaye Cantila Herrera, won last year's OOTD contest. :)

I'm currently 9 months pregnant (36 weeks), and I decided to join this event and volunteer to help in any way I can. I believe that I'll be part of this community from now on because I also choose to be a breastfeeding advocate. :)