New messaging on mothers' milk

Nova Scotia launches a major marketing campaign October 1, the first day of World Breastfeeding Week. Nova Scotia Health Protection and Promotion (HPP) and Annapolis Valley Health (AVH) will mark the occasion with open house events throughout the Valley.

Celebrations taking place at health centres in Annapolis Royal, Middleton, Berwick and Wolfville will include local launches of print and television ads and a new website and tours of “baby friendly spaces

Why does breastfeeding need to be promoted? Kathy Inkpen, manager, healthy development with HPP, says the campaign aims to “present breastfeeding as a cultural norm.”

Survey data shows 88 per cent of Nova Scotians understand breast milk to be the healthiest choice for babies and 77 per cent are very or somewhat supportive of women breastfeeding in public.

Yet, only 73 per cent of Nova Scotian mothers choose to breastfeed their newborns, Inkpen says, and only 36.5 per cent are still nursing exclusively at four months, compared to 47.6 nationally. (2007 numbers) “ The recommendation is to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months and to two years and beyond with complimentary foods,” she notes.

Laura Brennan, early childhood nutrition coordinator with HPP, said the campaign and its slogan “Learning makes it natural” tries “to provide a realistic picture of what breastfeeding involve.” Including stories from local women. Brennan says the new website shares “real life snippets from lives of breastfeeding mothers across Nova Scotia.”

Brennan says early feedback tells HPP women appreciate the honesty of the campaign’s message. Breastfeeding is not always without challenges, she points out. “It is a learned behaviour, a learning process for mother and baby”

Community support key

The campaign is part of a provincial strategy to support breastfeeding that also includes strengthening peer support and educating health professionals.

The new commercials are not aimed just at new mothers, but at partners, grandparents and neighbours. Community support is key to breastfeeding success, Inkpen notes. “While it’s natural, (breastfeeding) doesn’t happen naturally all the time. There is learning for mother and baby,” she says. When mothers run into common difficulties, “formula may be seen as a quick fix.” “Women (told us they) felt they could (breastfeed) if they had support, if they knew what to expect, if they knew other women were going through the same thing, if they knew they didn’t have to be perfect,” Inkpen says.

Both acknowledge one marketing campaign will not solve all breastfeeding problems. But “it will hopefully get people talking,” Inkpen says. “And asking why do women stop so early? What are the challenges? What are we doing to support?” For more information, see www.first6weeks.ca after October 1.

World Breastfeeding Week celebrations

Annapolis Community Health Centre, boardroom: 1 - 2 p.m.

Eastern Kings Memorial Community Health Centre, outpatient area: 1:30- 3:30 p.m.

Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, Founders room: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Western Kings Memorial Community Health Centre, Wilson room: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.