For Immediate Release: August 1, 2005
Contact: Karen Peters, 310-941-3338 or
kpeters@breastfeedla.org
Breastfeeding acceptance up for World
Breastfeeding Week 2005!
World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7, 2005
Los Angeles, CA – According to a new survey released today, more
Americans in 2005 endorse breastfeeding, and are comfortable with
women breastfeeding in public, than one year ago. Men in particular
are more savvy about breastfeeding. The National Breastfeeding
Awareness Campaign surveyed almost 1000 people before and after the
Campaign’s 2004 launch, and came up with the following results:
-
69% of men were
comfortable seeing a baby breastfed in public in 2005, compared
to only 59% of men in 2004
-
63% of men said
they would be willing to have their own baby breastfed in public
in 2005, compared to just 53% of men in 2004
-
In 2005, 67% of
women and 62% of men felt the best way to feed a baby was to
give only breast milk – up from 60% (women) and 50% (men) in
2004
-
In 2005, 59% of
women and 65% of men agreed that babies should be breastfed
exclusively for the first 6 months, up from 55% (women) and 53%
(men) in 2004.
The Breastfeeding
Task Force of Greater Los Angeles is one of 15 community-based
demonstration sites funded by the DHHS Office on Women’s Health, to
support the Campaign, which has received several awards, most
recently from La Leche League International. The Campaign, with the
slogan, Babies Were Born to be Breastfed, is designed to increase
breastfeeding awareness, and to promote exclusive breastfeeding for
six months.
“It seems that the Campaign messages have really gotten out, and
seeing and hearing more about breastfeeding has made it more
acceptable to people everywhere,” said Karen Peters, executive
director of the Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles, and
a registered dietitian and lactation consultant. “It’s interesting
that men have really come on board. Perhaps in the past they’ve
thought this was a women’s ‘thing’ – but Dad’s support is critical
when a mother breastfeeds.”
The Campaign was launched in June 2004, and relied on Ad Council
public service announcements on radio, TV, and in the print media,
to get its message across. The tracking report, based on telephone
interviews across the US, showed that those who had seen at least
one of the Campaign’s TV ads were more likely to agree that
breastfeeding decreased a child’s risk of ear infections, obesity,
respiratory illness, and diarrhea. More results showed:
-
75% of people who
had seen the TV ads disagreed that formula is as good as breast
milk, compared to 59% of those who had not seen the ads
-
59% of women who
had seen the TV ads were more likely to be comfortable
breastfeeding in public, compared to 39% of those who did not
see the ads
-
73% of women who
had seen the TV ads were more likely to be comfortable seeing
other women breastfeed their babies in public compared to 55% of
those who had not
These results are
particularly interesting in the light of recent controversy over
Barbara Walters’ negative comments about breastfeeding in public on
ABC’s TV show, the View.
Breastfeeding-based events are planned all over the country during
World Breastfeeding Week. In Los Angeles, the Breastfeeding Task
Force will provide physician and nurse education at Children’s
Hospital of Los Angeles on August 5. Additionally, the Breastfeeding
Task Force of Greater Los Angeles will honor employers with the
Family Health Promotion Award on August 24 at a ceremony at Torrance
Memorial Medical Center. The Breastfeeding Task Force recognizes
exemplary efforts of companies that understand the need to provide
an environment for its employees to achieve a balanced work and
family life. “In recent years more companies have initiated
corporate lactation and family care programs in recognition of the
fact that employees have an increasing demand to balance their work
and family lives,” said Wendelin Slusser, MD, Breastfeeding Task
Force of Greater Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, UCLA and
Venice Family Clinic.
To learn more about World Breastfeeding Week and the National
Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign, visit
www.WomensHealth.gov, rated #1 among all breastfeeding Web sites
by the Journal of Human Lactation, or call the Helpline at
1-800-994-WOMAN (9662), Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m., EDT, or 617 414 3500. Locally call 1-213-596-5776 or visit
www.BreastfeedLA.org.
If you cannot view the above
media clip, please
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