The National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign

1
The National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign
Federal Breastfeeding Priorities and Initiatives

• Suzanne Haynes, Ph.D.
• Senior Science Advisor
• The Office on Womens Health

2
Office on Womens Health Initiates Campaign in
June 2004

• Overall goal increase the proportion of first
  time and low SES mothers who breastfeed their
  babies in
• Early postpartum period from 69 to 75
• From 33 to 50 still breastfeeding at 6 months
  postpartum by the year 2010 (HP 2010)
• Focus on exclusive breastfeeding at initiation
  and for 6 months
• Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) selects campaign
  for sponsorship in 2002

3
Millward Brown Survey Questions April to May
2004

• What do you think is the recommended number of
  months to exclusively breastfeed a baby, meaning
  baby is only fed breastmilk?
• Only 1 in 4 felt that 6 months is the recommended
  length of time to exclusively breastfeed a baby.
  15 thought the recommendation was 12 months

4
Survey Questions (cont.)

• Babies should be exclusively breastfed for at
  least the first 6 months (strongly agree to
  strongly disagree)
• Only 29 of the respondents strongly agreed that
  babies should be exclusively breastfed for at
  least the first 6 months.

5
Survey Questions (cont.)

• How strongly do you agree that if a baby is
  breastfed, s/he is less likely to get ear
  infections, respiratory illness, become obese, or
  get diarrhea?
• Respondents strongly or somewhat strongly agreed
  that breastfeeding means fewer respiratory
  illnesses (50) and ear infections (48) but
  fewer saw benefits for preventing diarrhea (39)
  and obesity (35).

6
Rational Emotional Dimensions
Women just like you breastfeed. It is the thing
to do.
You can do it. You can do anything.
EMOTIONAL
CONFIDENCE
Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months provides a
lifetime of benefits for your baby.
Children who are breastfed are less likely to get
a variety of illnesses or conditions.
RATIONAL
CONSEQUENCE
7
Its not an awareness issue its a conversion
issue
Strategic Implications
Require clarity of an attainable
goal for duration
Need to bolster confidence and create a sense of
personal empowerment
How we speak to benefits
needs to be reframed to
overcome barriers
8
Campaign Components Audience June-Sept 2004

• TV 17,488,000 people
• Print 600,000 people
• Magazines 145,000 people
• Interactive media 55,000,000 people
• At a minimum 73,233,000 people viewed/heard the
  PSAs in these mediums
• Website Before campaign 29,000 users/after
  campaign to 39,000 users per month
• Warm-line calls 140 to 262 callers per month
• (Please note, results do not include radio
  audiencesdata not available)
•  

9
Local Outreach Community-Based Demonstration
Projects

• OWH has funded 18 community-based demonstration
  projects (CDPs)
• The CDPs listed at www.4woman.gov include 
• Breastfeeding coalitions
• Hospitals, universities
• State health departments and other organizations

10
Community-Based Demonstration Project Locations
11
For More Information.
www.4women.gov/breastfeeding 1-800-994-WOMAN