Yellowknife (Oct 06/06) - Twenty moms and their 20 hungry babies met last Saturday to breastfeed en masse.

It might sound a bit odd at first, but as these moms explain it, breast is best and the event was held to highlight that fact.

Kris Johnson and her two-week-old baby Jacob were one pair out of 20 who met the challenge. - Erika Sherk/NNSL photo

The event, called the Breastfeeding Challenge, was held at the legislative assembly. The Yellowknife mothers were not alone, either - mom-and-baby pairs all over Canada and the United States took part in the challenge. There were 2,400 pairs breastfeeding at exactly the same time.

It was facilitated by Moms, Boobs, and Babies, a Yellowknife breastfeeding support group.

The women and their babies sat in a circle and at 11 a.m. the ladies raised their arms as the babies latched on. Twenty were successful.

Shauna Henry was at the legislative assembly with Gabriel, her one-month-old son.

She came, she said, "to support all breast feeding moms."

She reeled off a whole list of answers when asked why she breast fed.

"It's good for the baby - they get all the nutrients they need. It's good for the environment - no bottles or cans, and it's a chance to bond - this is something only I can do for him."

Jen Galloway brought her baby daughter Ava for similar reasons. Raising awareness about breast feeding is important, she said.

"I think that more women should do it and if they knew the majority did it, they might," she said.

That is why Moms, Boobs, and Babies work to make sure breastfeeding mothers have support.

The group used to be called the Yellowknife Breastfeeding Support Group, but changed their name to make it seem more appealing, said president Elke Heinemann-Pesch.

The group itself started about a decade ago, she said, but it was revamped last year. The women running it were getting worn out and the group was in danger of disbanding, according to Jodi Woollam, treasurer and former president. She stepped in, rallied volunteers, picked a light-hearted name, and got it going again.

"It's a group of moms who have all breastfed at one point who support other moms," she said.

Beyond the Breastfeeding Challenge, the group also holds support meetings and has a breastfeeding hotline, which moms can call for tips and support.

The women of the group were pleased with the event, the location in particular. "It's demonstrating that the leadership of the NWT thinks that breast feeding can happen in public places," said Woollam.