Right across the Waikato, New Zealand and all around the world, mums will be getting together to promote the benefits of breastfeeding this weekend.

The Big Latch On is an event which sees women gathering together at registered venues to breastfeed and to offer peer support to the other breastfeeding women in their community.

The Big Latch On is taking place this weekend at venues across the Waikato, New Zealand and the world. Photo: Thinkstock

The events will kick off World Breastfeeding Week which take place from August 1-7. The theme this year is 'Let's make it work” – supporting women to combine breastfeeding and work.

This Friday a Big Latch On event will be held at the Matatoki Cheese Farm and has been organised by Plunket kaiāwhina (health worker) Ngakeiha Racey.

It will be the sixth event Ngakeiha has been involved with and she's expecting a good turnout this year.

'It's really low-key event,” she explains. 'Mums come along and grab a coffee and a bit of morning tea, then we'll have a talk about breastfeeding and just try and relate it to the mums who show up.

'In the past we've had real variety of mums attending; teen mums, older mums, Māori and Pākehā mums, last year we even had a group of Thai mums.”

The Big Latch On, which is now a global initiative, was created by New Zealand charitable trust Women's Health Action back in 2005. To date, events are now held in 31 different countries.

It aims to raise awareness of breastfeeding support and knowledge available in communities, and to help communities positively support breastfeeding in public places to normalise the practice.

The event is also a relaxed and friendly way for mums to network with one-and-other, says Ngakeiha.

'You see the mums making new friends, swapping numbers or arranging to meet up afterwards,” she adds. 'I think that's the biggest health outcome to come out of the event, more mums meeting other mums.”

Family, whānau, friends and breastfeeding supporters from the community are also invited to attend the events to help support and promote the initiative.

BIG LATCH ON EVENTS IN THAMES-COROMANDEL / HAURAKI:

• Paeroa Playcentre, 58 Aorangi Road, Paeroa – Friday, July 31, from 10am
  Contact Kyra van de Wetering on 0212692232 or email: [email protected]
• Waihi Plunket, Haszard Street, Waihi – Friday, July 31, from 10am
  Contact Waihi Plunket on 07-863-8874 or email: [email protected]
• Matatoki Cheese Farm, 4 Wainui Rd, Matatoki – Friday, July 31, from 10am
  Contact Ngakeiha Racey on 027-243-7915 or email: [email protected]

If you are hosting a Big Latch On event this weekend and would like to see it listed here please email details to: [email protected]

For more information visit the Women's Health Action website at: www.womens-health.org.nz or The Big Latch On Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/BigLatchOnNZ