August 4, 2003
Contact: Sherri
Willis
For Immediate Release
Ellen Sirbu, City of Berkeley: 510. 981.5131;
Kelly Moore, Native American Health Center: 510.535.4417
Former Surgeon General Dr. David
Stacher Comes to Bay Area to Support Guinness
World Record Breastfeeding Challenge
Dr. David Satcher, former U.S.
Surgeon General (1998-2002) and Assistant Secretary of Health (‘98-‘01) is
coming to the Bay Area August 9 to support local moms who will be defending
their Guinness World Record of 1,130 women breastfeeding their children at
the same time and place.
As
Surgeon General and in his current position as Director of the National
Center for Primary Care at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta,
Satcher has been vocal about the merits of breastfeeding for moms and
infants. "Recognizing that breastfeeding rates are influenced by many
factors,” Satcher said, “each of us can shape a future where mothers can
feel comfortable and free to breastfeed their children without societal
hindrances."
What: Guinness World Record for number of women
breastfeeding at one time. The event celebrates World Breastfeeding Week
and California Breastfeeding Awareness month, and will include live music,
children’s activities, food vendors and more.
Who: Event sponsors are California Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC);
Alameda County and City of Berkeley Public Health Departments; and Native
American Health Center.
When: Saturday, August 9, 2003 – 11:30 a.m. to 4
p.m.
11:30:
Registration & Exhibits Open
12:00:
Former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, Ph.D, delivers remarks
12:45
Mothers and children parade to the Berkeley Community Theater
1:30
Breastfeeding “count” takes place
3:30:
Announcement of the results
Where: Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (at Alston Way
and MLK Jr. Way) in Berkeley, California
Why: To promote breastfeeding. This year
Sydney, Australia will compete against the Bay Area to win back the title.
Although Australia has a population of approximately 18 million - compared
to 282 million people in the United States - it will be a tight competition.
Australia
is committed to having mothers breastfeed their infants, whereas
breastfeeding in the U.S. is a challenge due to the marketing of infant
formula; hospital giveaway of free formula to mothers as discharge gifts;
limited maternity leave; and lack of lactation accommodation laws in most
states.
Note: Dr. Satcher will be available for
interviews from 10:30 –11:45 a.m. on Aug. 9. Contact Sherri Willis or Ellen
Sirbu to schedule a time.
Bay Area Set to Defend Its Guinness World Record
for
Number of Women Breastfeeding At One Place & Time
The challenge is on! This August the Bay Area will defend its Guinness
World
Record of 1,130 women breastfeeding their children at the same
time,
in the same place.
The California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants
and
Children (WIC) in conjunction with the Alameda County and City of
Berkeley Public Health Departments, and Native American Health Center is
sponsoring this Guinness event, which will kick off 11:30 a.m. Saturday,
August 9 at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Berkeley, California. At
12:30
the women and babies will cross the street to the Berkeley
Community Theater for the official count.
The event celebrates World Breastfeeding Week and California
Breastfeeding Awareness month, and will include live music, children's
activities, food vendors and more.
This year Sydney, Australia will compete against us to win back the
title. Although Australia has a population of approximately 18 million
-
compared to 282 million people in the United States - it will be a
tight
competition.
Australia is committed to having mothers breastfeed their infants,
whereas breastfeeding is a real challenge in the United States for many
reasons, including:
-
Marketing of infant
formula. In many ways marketing undermines
breastfeeding. Hospitals receive free formula from formula companies
and
often will dispense it to mothers instead of providing necessary
support for mothers to breastfeed successfully.
-
Free formula. Most
hospitals receive and distribute free formula in
gift
bags to mothers as discharge gifts. When health professionals
market
formula it gives the impression it is good to give formula to
babies. Formula companies also mail unsolicited free formula directly to
the
mothers' homes.
-
Misleading
promotions. Some advertisements suggest that formula and
breast
milk are substantially the same.
-
Limited maternity
leave.
-
Lack of lactation
accommodation laws in most states.
-
Lack of lactation
education for most physicians and nurses.
For more information on the Guinness event or to find out how you can
support breastfeeding call Ellen Sirbu at (510) 981-5131, or e-mail
esirbu@ci.berkeley.ca.us.
Alameda County Public Health Department
1000 Broadway, Suite 500 - Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: 510.267.8001 Fax: 510.268.7012
