For 24 straight hours that started on Thursday, February 21 at 9 AM through Friday, February 22 at 9 AM members of the Global Team of 200 shared moving, intimate, personal breastfeeding stories on their blogs and spread the word about Save the Children’s new breastfeeding report, Superfood for Babies: How Overcoming Barriers Will Save Children’s Lives. As we wrote earlier this week, the report says 830,000 newborn lives can be saved if they are breastfeed during the critical first hour after being born.
Hour after hour new breastfeeding posts were added to a specially created microsite, Advocating for the First Hour, as a play on the #firsthour theme. A global effort, moms from the Philippines, Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria as well as here in the States participated. Even moms who were not a part of the original 24 moms slated to be featured during the 24 hours wrote their own breastfeeding post so their stories could be heard as well.
Through moms’ posts on their blog, social media, a Tumblr blog, and compelling video we shared poignant stories about breastfeeding for 24 hours all the while spreading awareness about Save the Children’s new breastfeeding report.
Below are key tweets from the day along with our videos supporting the moms.
@socialgoodmom shared breastfeeding story every hour for 24 hours 2 support @SavetheChildren's #FirstHour breastfeeding report! Way 2 go!
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Carolyn Miles (@carolynsave) February 23, 2013
RT @socialgoodmoms We're sharing 24 #breastfeeding stories -- every hr for 24 hrs to show support for @savechildrenuk new #FirstHour report.
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SavetheChildren News (@SaveUKNews) February 22, 2013
Social good for the day? Sign petition to John Kerry to continue int'l partnership: ow.ly/hUibR @SavetheChildren #FirstHour
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Tawanna Smith, MPP (@WorldTravelMom) February 21, 2013
Nature's Most Splendid Superfood reported by @SavetheChildren desumama.com/superfood-brea… #FirstHour @SocialGoodMoms #breastfeeding
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Vanessa, De Su Mama (@DeSuMama) February 21, 2013
Excellent job by @socialgoodmoms sharing #breastfeeding stories from around the world! ow.ly/hXexD #FirstHour
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HNN (@HealthyNewborns) February 22, 2013
Love this @tumblr: 24 hours of personal breastfeeding stories from @socialgoodmoms. ow.ly/hVcja @SavetheChildren #nutrition
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Future Fortified (@FutureFortified) February 21, 2013
We're sharing inspiring breastfeeding stories and @SavetheChildren's new #FirstHour breastfeeding report for 24 hrs. advocatingforthefirsthour.tumblr.com
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Social Good Moms (@socialgoodmoms) February 21, 2013
"830,000 infant deaths could be avoided worldwide if babies were breastfed in #firsthour after birth." New report: bit.ly/VyU8fL.
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Stephanie Sheaffer (@stephsday) February 22, 2013
Intro and Recap Videos from the Day
Intro video about the campaign.
[youtube http://youtu.be/x13yfN5EVaA]
The first eight hours video
Hours 9 – 16
Hours 17 – 24
Read all of the breastfeeding posts at advocatingforthefirsthour.tumblr.com and take action to keep breastfeeding and nutrition on the global agenda at savethechildren.org/1000-days.