The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

My neighbor is a leader if anyone wants a bracelet let me know, they are $5.

http://www.laleche.org/initiative.html

June 30, 2005, Washington, DC— Imagine being told you must withhold food and nutrition from your child because someone else’s comfort level is being compromised. Imagine being ridiculed or humiliated because you are trying to feed your baby. Imagine a child being forcibly withheld from its only source of nutrition because of a custody arrangement, divorce, or because you were called to serve for jury duty. Imagine making a child eat their food in a restroom. Think these things are not happening? Think again, because this is happening everyday to mothers who are merely trying to give their babies the best possible start in life as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other leading medical organizations.

To try to raise funds to combat these types of situations through education and awareness of breastfeeding rights, La Leche League International and Lansinoh Laboratories today announce the launch of The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative with the release of Encourage, Support, Protect Breastfeeding cause bracelets.

La Leche League International and Lansinoh Team Up
Lansinoh has partnered with La Leche League International on The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative because La Leche League is the leading provider of comprehensive information on breastfeeding rights. La Leche League International, who next year will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, has a presence in 65 countries around the world helping mothers to breastfeed their babies.

“All proceeds from the purchase of this bracelet will go toward expanding efforts to inform more people about breastfeeding rights and to provide them with the tools they need to become a force for change in their community,” says Resheda Hagen, who as a breastfeeding mother over 20 years ago founded Lansinoh Laboratories to provide supportive products to other breastfeeding mothers. “Specifically, the money raised will fund creation and dissemination of materials to educate people on current and proposed breastfeeding rights and legislation,” she added.

“How wonderful, to let the world know that a woman has a right to breastfeed whenever her child is hungry. I am very excited about the possibility of seeing purple bracelets everywhere,” says Hedy Nuriel, Executive Director of La Leche League International.

Why The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative is Needed
Every mother should have the right to breastfeed her child anywhere, anyplace, anytime with confidence and without harassment. Yet today, there are still many places that do not offer mothers this protection. There is so much to be done to change the way society views breastfeeding. There is a large gap between rhetoric and reality as some governments claim to promote healthy living while contributing to or encouraging barriers to legislation that would otherwise promote and preserve a mother’s right to breastfeed no matter the setting. With the myriad of preventative health benefits of breastfeeding for both babies and mothers, it is contradictory to marvel at these benefits but prohibit or prevent a mother from breastfeeding in certain areas or settings.

“More mothers are breastfeeding and there is more awareness about the benefits than ever before. But, despite the mounting scientific evidence documenting breastfeeding’s protective health benefits for babies and mothers and the economic and societal benefits, mothers are still not able to feed their babies freely anytime their babies are hungry. It is difficult to believe that there is still a stigma attached to breastfeeding—especially breastfeeding in public,” says La Leche League International’s Public Relations Manager, Mary Lofton, who has counseled hundreds of mothers on their breastfeeding rights on behalf of the breastfeeding organization.
Around the world, many countries have enacted legislation pertaining to breastfeeding. Today, due to the tireless work of the late Elizabeth Baldwin, long-time La Leche League Leader and attorney, and others, approximately 39 states in the United States have laws pertaining to breastfeeding and several more have proposed legislation compared with 1994 when only five states in the United States had enacted legislation pertaining to breastfeeding. These laws generally fall into one of the following categories: public breastfeeding; jury duty; workplace accommodations; health, education and insurance measures; custody/visitation; and other miscellaneous provisions.

While there has been progress in proposing and passing breastfeeding legislation, there is a general lack of awareness and serious misinterpretation of those rights and laws. Because even where there are laws, there are still incidents when mothers are asked to leave a public place because they are breastfeeding or told to breastfeed their children in the restroom.

“It is not enough to propose or enact legislation”, says Hagen. “Education, awareness, and implementation are key in ensuring that rights are enforced, pending legislation is passed, and future legislation is proposed,” she adds.

“Funds raised by The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative will be specifically earmarked and used by La Leche League International to continue to provide people with current information on breastfeeding rights and legislation and on specific situations such as breastfeeding in public, workplace accommodations, jury duty and custody issues,” says Nuriel. “These proceeds will enable La Leche League Leaders around the world to create educational materials, such as toolkits on breastfeeding rights and legislation,” she adds.

How Citizens Can Be a Force for Change
You can be a force for change. Lansinoh and La Leche League International invite you to join them in this campaign. Citizens can show their support by purchasing or selling bracelets and by learning more about breastfeeding rights. They have the power to engage their governmental representatives to foster change and to make breastfeeding rights a reality for every nursing mom and baby. “Whether people merely wear the bracelet, hand it to a breastfeeding mom to applaud her decision to breastfeed her baby, or blanket their community with purple bracelets, all of it will help to educate and raise awareness of a mother’s right to breastfeed whenever her baby is hungry,” says Gina Ciagne, Director of Breastfeeding Relations and Outreach for Lansinoh.

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

Interesting article... but they seem really radical in their views.

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

I was just curious. I am sure this is a topic that can ruffle some feathers.

I don't have a problem with breastfeeding. I dont care if somebody is doing it while I am around.

I just question whether its appropriate if there are little ones around.


Oh well... maybe ill search for it later on tonight when I am bored.

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

Just wanted to add here....

I have always been against it....still am sorta..

BUT i have to say that i think the idea of someone breast feeding, whipping out the boob and all, is kinda a myth. But yet that is what a lot of people think of when they think of someone breastfeeding in public..

At least that is what i had thought of..

And although i do have some issues with it..

I have come to realize that you can breast feed discreetly WHen i saw you breastfeeding...i would and didn't realize it for quite a while...

It can be done appropriately..and when you see someone do it that way, the way i saw it done..i think there would be less of an objection

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

When I bf my kids I dont do it to flash anyone or disrespect anyone else or myself I do it to feed my child. I try to be as discrete about it as possible, being a mom, I gotta do what I gotta do.

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

While I did not get the opportunity to breast feed my son, I did have to start pumping right away to help nourish him in the best possible manner even on a limited 15 cc's of breast milk a day.

Whenever anyone came into the hospital room, I covered myself up with the blankets. And when they came to my house, I went into my bedroom to pump. I wanted my own privacy while pumping and plan on being just as private if I ever have another child to breast feed

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

Posted by DjPiLL

I just question whether its appropriate if there are little ones around.

Re: The Breastfeeding Protection Initiative

Posted by BabyAvocado

Posted by DjPiLL

I just question whether its appropriate if there are little ones around.

Maybe it would help with their future comfort level with it if they are exposed to it at a young age and get to view it as a natural part of life. Then we'd have less of this issue in the future.

Once again - as long as it's done discreetly.

Message edited 8/19/2005 8:41:04 PM.