Maternal and Child

Health Coalition

of Greater Kansas City

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press Release

 

Contact:     Cesar Motts                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                  Cell:  913.636.4701                                               August 1, 2005

 

Breastfeeding Awareness and Public Acceptance on the Rise

Among Both Men and Women

 

World Breastfeeding Week 2005 is August 1-7, 2005

 

Kansas City, MO- The awareness and acceptance of breastfeeding has grown significantly for both men and women, according to a new survey of nearly 1,000 adults by the Ad Council. Released during the first week in August, World Breastfeeding Week, the Breastfeeding Post-wave Tracking Report examined results from the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign -- Babies Were Born to be Breastfed, executed in part by the Maternal and Child Health Coalition.

 

The campaign, which recently received a “Special Service Award” from La Leche League International, was designed to promote exclusive breastfeeding for six months.  The tracking report showed that those who had seen at least one of the campaign’s TV public service ads were more likely to agree that breastfeeding reduces a child’s chances of ear infections, obesity, respiratory illness, and diarrhea.

 

Some of the major findings in the U.S. population include the following:

  • Significantly more people felt that breastfeeding only, was the best way to feed a baby, from 54 percent in 2004 to 64 percent in 2005.
  • The percentage of respondents who agreed that babies should be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, increased from 53 percent in 2004 to 62 percent in 2005.
  • TV ad aware respondents (75 percent) were significantly more likely to strongly/somewhat disagree that formula is as good as breast milk, than those who had not seen the ads, (59 percent).

 

Important changes seen in women include:

 

  • Recent awareness about breastfeeding rose significantly for women ages 18-34, from 30 percent in 2004 to 52 percent in 2005.
  • Women who had seen the TV ads were also more likely to be comfortable breastfeeding in public (59 percent very/somewhat comfortable, vs. 39 percent of those who did not see the ads) or seeing other women breastfeed their babies in public (73 percent vs. 55 percent).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surprisingly, men are also more accepting of breastfeeding:   

  • Recent awareness about breastfeeding rose significantly for men, from 22 percent in 2004 to 44 percent in 2005.
  • Men were more comfortable about seeing a woman breastfeed in public in 2005 (69 percent), than in 2004 (59 percent), and were more willing to have their own baby breastfed in public in 2005 (63 percent) than in 2004 (53 percent).

 

The Maternal and Child Health Coalition is one of fifteen community-based demonstration projects working to spread the campaign message that Babies Were Born to be Breastfed, and will continue their efforts during World Breastfeeding Week and throughout August, Breastfeeding Awareness Month. The other demonstration projects are located in Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Camden, NJ; Chicago, IL; Knoxville, TN; Los Angeles, CA; New Orleans, LA; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Providence, RI; Pueblo, CO; Puerto Rico; San Francisco, CA; and Washington, D.C.

           

Maternal and Child Health Coalition promotes the health of mothers and children through community planning, education, advocacy and collaboration with organizations addressing infant mortality, immunization, childhood obesity, maternal health and child safety. 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 816.283.6242. Interviews are available upon request. Background materials will be available at http://www.mchc.net/PressReleases.htm

 

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