The Big Latch On 2023
The Big Latch On was held from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 April 2023. This was a really exciting year for the Big Latch On as we were back with in-person events, after 4 years of disruption/cancellation due to COVID-19. We know and appreciate how important in-person support and connection is for the breastfeeding journey, so coming together again was something really special. In addition, this year was quite monumental as it was a ‘first’ for many reasons:
- The first time holding the Big Latch On outside of World Breastfeeding Week in August. This shift to April allowed us to avoid the peak of the winter/cold and flu season, and we are looking forward to celebrating World Breastfeeding Week in August in other ways!
- The first time running in-person and virtual events in tandem – some parents attended both
- The first time we published a Big Latch On poster in full Te Reo Māori #WhāngaiūNgātahiAotearoa (#BigLatchOn) #KiriāhuaWhāngaiū (#Brelfie)
- The first time we ran both the Aotearoa Big Latch On and the worldwide event – the Global Big Latch On – from the Women’s Health Action head office.
We recorded a total of 1,474 participants at 46 events around the motu! There was a wide diversity of celebrations, ranging from large scale events with hundreds of participants, to many smaller intimate community and private events. We also had 116 Brelfies (breastfeeding selfies) shared to our Facebook page. After such a long hiatus from in-person events due to Covid, we are really thrilled with the turnout and excitement nationwide.
Infographics
We prepared the following infographics to demonstrate the success and positive impact this community-driven event has on women and people who breastfeed, and their communities.
Please feel free to download and share these infographics with anyone who you think might be interested in hosting a future event and wants to know more!
Resources from Big Latch On 2023
Take a look back at the 2023 event, host resources and our amazing supporters that brought this event to life!