INDfamily

IND Monthly sponsors fest tent for families

Moms planning must-sees at Festival International this year take note: For the very first time in festival history, there is a special tent just for you and your little ones.

Monday April 1, 2013

Moms planning must-sees at Festival International this year take note: For the very first time in festival history, there is a special tent just for you and your little ones. No more ducking into dark alleys, stooping on the curb or changing dirty diapers in your car, ladies; IND Monthly/IND Family has you covered.

In collaboration with the Acadiana Breastfeeding Coalition and Festival International, IND Monthly is providing a clean, quiet area, away from the hustle and bustle of the festival crowd where moms of babies and small children can stop, take a break and recharge their little ones. The tent will offer side flaps to provide added privacy for breast-feeding moms, and those with other needs will rejoice with an area to change diapers and control toddler meltdowns after they are denied joining on-stage performers as back-up dancers.

Along with IND staff, the area will be maintained by volunteers from Acadiana Breastfeeding Coalition, a local non-profit that advocates for breastfeeding support among health care providers, facilities, businesses and families in Acadiana. "Our goal is to make breastfeeding the norm' in Acadiana, which would ultimately lower our fetal-infant mortality rates,"ABC's mission states.

Tentative plans call for the tent to welcome families Friday, April 26, from 5-7 p.m., and Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28, from 12-5 p.m. Check the festival website, festivalinternational.com and theind.com/family for the location and more details. To volunteer, contact Kari Walker at [email protected]. - The Editors