Breastfeeding 1-2-3 » Australia

Breastfeeding Advocacy around the World

Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:37:20 +0000

The vast majority of Breastfeeding 1-2-3 readers are from the United States, with nearly 10 times as many visitors from the U.S. than from the second country on the list. Can you guess what the next four countries are? I will give you a little hint:

Google Analytics map for Blisstree's Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blog

The next four countries are:

2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. India
5. Australia

I have been talking a lot about breastfeeding advocacy opportunities in the United States, so tonight I would like to share a breastfeeding advocacy opportunity for each of the other four countries listed. Please feel free to leave a comment if you are from any of those four countries and you have resources you would like to share!

Canada

“Join INFACT Canada and INFACT Quebec and sign on to the ‘Protect Breastfeeding Petition’ at http://protectbreastfeedingpetition.ca/. You can make a difference for mothers and children, sign the petition, share the petition and join us for a better world for all of us.”

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom you can read and sign the Breastfeeding Manifesto, an eight-page document that outlines seven objectives that support breastfeeding. The Manifesto notes:

The UK Governments and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, yet fewer than 2% of babies in the UK are exclusively breastfed at six months.

India

The Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India works to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in that country. You can endorse your views on an infant’s right to food by entering your name and email address.

Australia

The Australian Breastfeeding Association has a page dedicated to breastfeeding advocacy which includes a link to the incident report form for the marketing of infant formulas in Australia.

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Woman Harassed for Pumping in a Mall Parents’ Room

Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:34:14 +0000

An Australian woman pumping on her lunch break in the Westfield Marion shopping center “parents’ room” was approached by the cleaning lady and later questioned by mall security and police. Sharleen Salmon had recently returned to work and was expressing breast milk for her five-month-old baby Justice. The Guardian Messenger quotes Salmon as saying:

I was in a private area (in the parents room) behind the curtain and this cleaner just walked in on me and watched what I was doing. She told me the parents room was for parents and breastfeeding only – and that I wasn’t allowed to eat lunch in there.

Apparently a little boy running around the room had seen Salmon pumping, and he told his mother that there was a topless woman eating lunch in the parents’ room. The mother then complained to mall security.

Shopping center management issued an apology to Salmon but her husband says no one has apologized to her personally. It is bad enough that women are being harassed for breastfeeding in public. It is discouraging to hear of a woman being harassed for pumping, and for pumping behind a curtain, in a parents’ room no less!

Thanks to Inside Motherhood for the lead on this story!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Breastfeeding Photos and 2007 Breastfeeding Calendars

Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 07:00:46 +0000

Looking for a last-minute calendar for 2007 or just want to see some beautiful and thought-provoking breastfeeding photos? Try these offerings from around the world (note: I don’t have any affiliation with these groups). Entries that start with asterisks **** include copies of each month’s photo on-line:

**** Australians might enjoy the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) 2007 calendar (gorgeous photos if you just want to take a peek!) for AUD $15.00 including GST.

**** Lucky residents of Sonoma County, California might find paper versions of the 2007 Breastfeeding Calendar at area hospitals and health clinics (everyone else can click on the link to watch the slide show). After January 1, 2007, area moms can submit their own photos in the 2007 photo contest for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate.

La Leche League of Canada offers its 2007 Calendar for CDN $15.00.

**** In the United Kingdom, the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) sells its 2007 Calendar with facts and dates given in English, Dutch, German and French. The price is £5.00 (add an additional £2.00 for shipping outside the UK).

Available to everyone in the United States, the 2007 Beauty of Breastfeeding Calendar is put out by the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) in Colorado for USD $12.99.

If you’re looking for a calendar with breastfeeding activism slogans instead of photos, check out over 100 inexpensive options at CafePress.com.

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