3,738 mothers in Manila top Guinness breastfeeding record


From Manila Bulletin -May 7 http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2006050563156.html
By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO and JENNY F. MANONGDO

A total of 3,738 nursing mothers yesterday participated in the "Sabay-Sabay, Sumuso sa Nanay" project at the San Andrex Complex in Malate, Manila, shattering the Guinness world record for the most number of women breastfeeding simultaneously.



The event erased the previous Guinness record of 1,130 nursing mothers established in Berkeley, California on Aug. 3, 2002.

Women from Manila’s six districts participated in the simultaneous breastfeeding program which was aimed at raising public awareness on the importance of breastfeeding in averting maternal and child diseases and mortality.

The event emphasized the recommendation that infants should be breastfed exclusively up to six months and that mothers should breastfeed beyond two years.

Leading the largest simultaneous breastfeeding in the world were Manila Mayor Jose "Lito" L. Atienza Jr., a staunch pro-life advocate, and Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III. They renewed their commitment in promoting breastfeeding in the country.

"We will strongly promote breastfeeding in Manila through the city’s health centers, government-owned hospitals, offices, and even malls. Personally, all my children were breastfed because of its health benefits," Atienza said.

Duque cited ways to strengthen the country’s breastfeeding program, including the transformation of health workers to become breastfeeding advocates, creation of community support groups for mothers, and establishment of supportive home and work environment.

"The health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are proven and many," Duque said. "Among mothers, breastfeeding reduces blood loss after childbirth, delays her return to fertility, and reduces the risk for various cancers associated with female organs," Duque said.

Officials noted that the practice of breastfeeding has been on the decline. Recent studies showed that more mothers are now feeding their children with cow’s milk.

The latest National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) revealed that only 54 percent of infants in the Philippines are breastfed after birth, while only 33.5 percent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed. The survey also showed that Filipino infants, on the average, are breastfed exclusively for less than a month.

Doctors said diarrhea and malnutrition problems could be traced to inadequate breastfeeding.

The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that every year, about 16,000 Filipino children die before their fifth birth anniversary due to inappropriate feeding practices. Many others suffer from allergies and long-term or serious illnesses like juvenile hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and premature puberty because of the "formula milk menace," the WHO said.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said the Philippines is one of 42 countries that contribute to 90 percent of under-five deaths globally.

Some of the mothers who participated in the simultaneous breastfeeding lauded the practice. "Amelia" from Sta. Mesa, Manila cited breastfeeding as the first step to raising a bright child towards responsible parenthood. "Breastfeeding provides very good nutrition to our infants," she said.

Jenny, the mother of a five-year-old boy, said she knows that breastfed babies are smarter and have greater resistance from acquiring diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

where are the pictures............?

Manila moms set world record
in breast-feeding--organizers
By Agence France-Presse

http://www.inq7.net/globalnation/sec_new/2006/may/04-10.htm

NEARLY 4,000 mothers in the Philippine capital reportedly set a new world record on Thursday for the largest number of women simultaneously breast-feeding their babies in the same place, organizers said.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, whose city is one of the event's organizers, said 3,738 mothers simultaneously breast-fed their babies for at least one minute, breaking the Guinness World Record.

Advertisement



The result will be submitted to Guinness for evaluation.
The United Nations Children's Fund said the previous record was held by the City of Berkeley, California, where 1,135 mothers simultaneous breast-fed babies for a minute on Aug. 3, 2002.

The event was also held to raise awareness about the benefits of breast-feeding, organizers said.

"What we're planning to do is incite awareness to put back the pride in breast-feeding and the respect we deserve because we commit ourselves to our children," said Dr. Elvira Esguerra, director of the advocacy group, Children for Breast-feeding.

UNICEF representative to the Philippines Dr. Nicholas Alipui said breast-feeding could help curb malnutrition in children under two years old, provide children with antibodies to fight diseases, and boost the country's economy because families save on infant formula.

"Breast-fed infants definitely have the best start in life," he said in a statement. "Human breastmilk has all the nutrients that a newborn infant needs."

Organizers said the breast-feeding rate in the Philippines had declined alarmingly, with the average duration of breast-feeding down to 24 days in 2003 from 1.4 months in 1998. Only 1.4 percent of babies 6-7 months old are still exclusively breast-fed, they said.

Alipui calls this trend "a death sentence" for Filipino children, 16,000 of whom die yearly due to formula feeding.

A baby who receives infant formula in the first two months of its life is up to 25 times more likely to die from diarrhea and four times more likely to die from pneumonia than an exclusively breast-fed baby, UNICEF has said.

woooooooow ang galing!!!!!!!

I think I should shift to mother's breast milk because I always have diarrhea.

too late for you dood...

breastfeeding is best for babies ... dunno with grown ups?

get atapulgite instead

sumuso ka sa asawa mo

Cow milk is for cows
Human milk is for humans

but no way, I got too used to drinking cow milk

dang!

it made the newspapers here in montreal today

Congratulations! It seems that the local organizer are very serious into entering into entering into records.

Like World's Longest Hairstyle, World's Largest Human Rainbow

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/Freeman200605062101.htm

We always go for the frivolous

The Freeman 05/06/2006

Many newspapers, including this one, had as their page one photos yesterday varying shots of women with breasts exposed, all feeding their young, ostensibly to promote breastfeeding, but actually to also try and make it to the Guinness Book of Records.

We do not know if the women were half of the hundreds of pairs that, several months ago, also tried for the world record in most number of couples holding simultaneous kisses the longest or that the breastfed children were the products of that endeavor.

We do not even now if the kissing effort made it. What we do know is that vying for the world record in trivial endeavors has become some sort of the new mania for many Filipinos. There just seems to be no end to our penchant for the useless and ridiculous.

So what if the Philippines succeeded in snatching the world record for most number of women breastfeeding their young in public. Will it alter some important facts about feeding and the young that seems to be completely ignored in the Philippines today?

Of what use is the promotion of breasfeeding if the health of the child cannot be assured when it grows up because the sole breadwinner in a family of six earns only less than one hundred pesos a day.

With three babies born every minute in the Philippines to mothers who can give them nothing but their sagging breasts, you bet the Philippines can keep the world record for mass breastfeeding for all eternity. So?

And oh yes, that kissing-kissing record. What profits the country if it wins the kissing record and gets listed in the Guinness Book of Records if its political leaders continue to go at one another's throats?

There have been other frivolous attempts by frivolous Filipinos, such as for the longest barbeque cookout, the longest longganiza, the longest pancit, the biggest shoe. But, hoy, listen! Are we not also the second most dangerous country for journalists, next only to Iraq?

And what about our supposed top universities that have dropped out of sight from the Top 10, or Top 20, or even Top 50 lists? On the other hand, the Philippines is in the Top 10 of the most corrupt countries in the world. So what about that? Still game for Guinness?

I think it was more of free publicity gimmick ! But as long as they do not use public funds spending for those Guiness Book of Record attempts.

It is okey for me!

nice acts.. to show the importance of the breast-feeding.. Their babies are human babies, not the babies of cows.

btw, total amount milk, i guess will be 1,869 liters.

galing!

Picture courtesy of k3n5i

i cant believe they are showing breasts on TV in local news programs!!!
manoling should be back in MTRCB!!!!!

it was not shown on television but this item was reported in Canada>

Holy hell...

LOL! I kinda didn't need to see that.

I regret not having to be breastfed. I'm not as healthy as others out there who were breastfed by their moms. Ever heard of male lactation?