Sunday 25 July 2010

Breast: Why Settle For Less?


This is my idea of a breastfeeding support and protection poster.  I was wondering what yours was?  I thought of "Breast: Why Settle For Less?" as I was doing the housework this afternoon.  Ooops, better get back to it.  But I'd really like to see some positive, phrased appropriately, and home made poster ideas, from you all.  Really good ones, I'll publish on the blog.  Leave your feedback on whether or not you think (above) and the others, work for you, or you think they might work for others.

Slogan ideas, you can simply post in comments below.  Actual mock ups, comment with your eddress (email address) below, and I'll send you mine, for sending on the file.  No worries - your eddress won't be seen, or published.  :-)

Let's See What You've Got!

22 comments:

tracy said...

In my head I've had the slogan "You don't have to be perfect".
There seems to be a perception of smugness, a superiority over bottlefeeding mums. It's not true but this appears to be what fuels the anger behind many comments attacking breastfeeding advocacy. There is a whole women have to be perfect thing and I'm sure the perception of this serene Johnsons baby style mum does harm to uptake rates.
Show that women who breastfeed aren't perfect, just normal.

Unknown said...

There is a problem with media images, of course. If anything is a media image, isn't the 'after' of the 'before' picture, it will turn the audience off. How to present 'real' women, in a stylised and media savvy way, so the image will actually be looked at in the first place, and not repel the audience....

Very Tricky.

Not saying it can't be done, but how often is any media image, 'real'?

LPG said...

In central MK today there was a charity fundraising with the stated aim of 'a vaccine for breast cancer'. Apparently the one they want will reduce the rate by 12% . Less than bf does I seem to recall?

So that's my suggestion -steal that slogan for something more effective and that won't stop breastmilk production to boot!

Unknown said...

That could be a whole series, couldn't it?

Breastfeeding... A vaccine against...

breast cancer
cancer
diabetes
sleep apnea
child abuse

Whole list of things. I can see some lovely posters on that one!

Rosemary Cottage said...

I like "you don't have to be perfect too". I don't mind "why settle for less" but I don't like the image of the slim white perfect-haired mother as I think it ties into the whole diane wiessinger thing of how people feel breastfeeding is only for "perfect" mothers, and is "best".

I would like: "Breast: it's ordinary". Or "normal".

And have an assortment of "ordinary people" nursing their babies.

By "ordinary people" I mean the kind of people you see on the Ocean Finance adverts. People who look like the people I see walking down the street every day.

I mean, Kerry Katona gets some stick, but she has sold Iceland very well on the back of the "ordinary Mum" image she has. Can you imagine if Kerry Katona breastfed? Would do more (imvho) for breastfeeding overnight than the likes of super slebs like Lucy Lawless and Gwen Stefani. Much as I adore them for nursing and saying they're doing so, it's a bit, well, "of course they breastfeed, they also probably eat organic vegetables and live in mansions".

Unknown said...

Goodness, it was the first copyright free image I came across! I'm not at all presenting the image, but the format and the words!

Interesting some of you see her as perfect. I see a normal sized women with wrinkles, lines and roots showing! The lack of airbrushing was appealing. I liked the eye to eye statement!

I can't see at all how she's 'perfect'. :-)

Sundancer said...

For my BFPC training course we had to come up with some posters for breastfeeding.

Mine was based on the United Colors of Benetton adverts; a row of mums breastfeeding, all from different backgrounds, cultures, etc.

I just wanted to get across that it's something that unites us as a race, no matter where you come from on this earth, you can feed your baby the same milk :)

Don't have one I can send you though, as I couldn't find the right images so ended up drawing it.

Rosemary Cottage said...

I think it was the straightened hair, the white ironed blouse (that was actually white, not grey, as most of my "white" clothes are, and wasn't stained with puke the way my clothes were in the early days), the just-plucked eyebrows, etc!

I do quite like the slogan though.

Unknown said...

I could be wrong, but the image of a hassled, puke covered mother, with crumpled clothes... may not help mothers feel it's something they want to do! ;-)

helen said...

There have been these posters in the past - with lists of things that breastfeedin protects against. With lots of different mums from all over the world, and lots of different languages. One such was produced by the friends of breastfeeding in Canada [ via compleat mother] and distributed here by Ameda, Ameda also did one using some of hte images as an ad including lovely pics of babies the friends did various takes on it and produced various versions, and also used the wording on small ones which had pics of ordinary families, situations etc too. The also did some wonderful art ones, including a native American mother, a tandem mother and a black mother. Between 25 - 15 years ago
Would be great to have some similar, still have mine which come out for displays but new ones would be great

Anonymous said...

"Human Milk for Human Babies" is a great slogan, but I didn't come up with it. I also like the Weissenger idea of a baby's natural habitat being mother's body, and the idea I heard McKenna mention of there is no such thing as a baby, but a baby and someone.... I know that's not breastfeeding as such, but if you encourage skin to skin and babyholding, then breastfeeding rates soar.

Anneke said...

More and more I am being seen woman who try and give infos to new mums being called breastfeeding bullies. Someone said that breast milk didn't have any more benefits over formula dna they where corrected and showed the facts, this started off a bandwagon of formula mums coming calling breastfeeding patronising and bullying to mums who choose not to breastfeed. Not who couldnt who choose not to. Why is info, facts all censorde in case someones feelings is hurt ? and this isnt by mums who really try and cant do it its been taken over by people who have the freedom of choice and just dont fancy breastfeeding. Pretty soon allthe facts that they call bull and so and so kids was brestfeed and ill are going to be pushed back into a cornor. Dare I post any of the info on brestfeeding for any one for someone will come in and say that formula is not poisin as apparently thats what we say all the time even if we dont open out mouths.Because i dont use formula on my son I am making a statement on how its not right,. Dam well right I am and like it or lump it its better then that tin! I wish more would choose more carefully its not pepsi and coke on a menu its a whole lot more.

Unknown said...

I may be missing the point, but I don't think Its necessary to have pics of women all over the world. That's all I really see. I feel like one of only a few regular American moms who breastfeed. I never see anyone doing it in public, talking about it, carrying a pump.....I think images of typical American moms who breastfeed would be most helpful for moms here....where few seem to try or stick with it.

Anonymous said...

I really like your idea.

Have you ever noticed that in magazines and other advertising media that formula is always portrayed with soft images and lighting; happy well fed babies; happy moms with nice hair, make-up, and clothing? While breastfeeding talks about colic, sore nipples, sleepless nights and show dreary images with mom looking stressed and tired with poor body posture, mostly in a bath robe?

The magazines may talk about the health benefits, but the sponsors for the publication get prime spots for advertising the more 'appealing' option. The formula companies advertise in non-family oriented magazines, to give that impression that every one is using Brand X, so you too can have a happy healthy baby and get your time back to yourself.

Maybe we can copy the drug adverts and show a great pic, catchy slogan, a few testimonials, and then list on the back page all the health concerns for using the 'other product'.

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Mama to Munchkins said...

When I lived in spain, there was a fab competition for breastfeeding pictures. The winners were used as advertising for breastfeeding, one of which was a woman breastfeeding under an umbrella.. they used it as a advertisement for breastfeeding to protect against swine flu :)
you can see the pictures: http://www.fedegalma.org/fotos.php?c=4

just in case it inspires anyone!
x

Lucy said...

Why "settle" for "less"? I resent that phrase. What if there was no choice but to settle for less as you put it - you can't breastfeed or because you have adopted (and in the UK, when even a child given up at birth will be 5-6 months old at placement with a new family and that is incredibly rare you can't in fairness confuse a child by starting trying to breastfeed them). Or how about you plain old fashioned don't want to breastfeed? Shouldn't that be a right without women being burdened with more guilt? My children were exclusively formula fed and are healthy as horses, bright and beautiful. I don't feel like I settled for less, and I don't feel they were cheated - as they were bottle fed in a nurturing way.

Unknown said...

Interesting, isn't it. That if you say 'breast is best' it's okay. But if you flip it, and say that formula feeding is less than breast feeding, people take it personally, and you are attacking them.

If I told you that some chicken has salmonella in it, and you need to cook it properly, how would you feel? Am I calling you a bad mother? Or am I telling you something that everyone knows and accepts? So how come when I say formula can have salmonella in it, and you to prepare it properly, I'm attacking you?

I'm very pleased that your children are thriving, and you are a secure an attached mother. Risks are not about individuals, they are about cohorts.

Just as someone can say "I've driven my baby without a car seat for years, and we've never had an accident." Many mothers can say "I used formula and my children are happy and healthy."

The issue isn't when it doesn't go wrong - the issue is when it does. The undeniable fact, scientifically proven and peer reviewed research, is that lack of breastfeeding harms health. It can harm the health of the mother, and the child. That needs to be taken into consideration, when making your personal choices, about letting the baby on your breast.

Yes, some women, a tiny percentage, cannot make a full supply. Some women, a tiny percentage, are born with spinal problems that puts them in a wheelchair for life. We do not hand out wheelchairs to every newborn, and say "Don't use your legs, it will offend the poor people in the wheelchairs - aren't they suffering enough guilt?"

What we do, is accept that a person with a disability, is a human being first and foremost, and we support them to function as well as they wish to.

It's the same with women who do not wish to, or cannot, breastfeed normally. We should be helping all the babies of such mothers, to have human milk by donation.

Life is risk. Not breastfeeding, is a risk factor. Just another risk factor, to be taken into consideration as we live our lives.

As long as you know the risks, you have made an informed choice. Your choice is yours: but it affects yourself, and your baby. Just know that.

Just as how much you weigh, if you smoke, if you drink alcohol, if you drive too fat, if you don't exercise... all of these are risk factors. Just be aware, but choose your own path. But you choices, does not negate the actuality of the science.

As ever, the messenger is shot, whilst the multi-national companies making billions, from selling you a different message, that can affect the health of your children, aren't even noticed, much less criticised.

Unknown said...

Oh, and many an adoptive mother has begun breastfeeding with an older baby. It can help with trauma the baby has endured from separation and institutionalisation. Some don't start until well past a year old, and it works very very well. Interesting research paper about it about to come out. By a mother who adopted children from a Chinese orphanage, and who used breastfeeding, bed-sharing and child-wearing on slings, as a way to help them deal with the developmental delays caused by the trauma of their early lives.

I so wish people wouldn't use the 'adopted' baby as a stick to beat breastfeeding by, when it's such a rare and precious tool in helping a baby over come serious trauma. :-)

Unknown said...

Sorry for all the deletions, peeps. Google kept telling me it wasn't posting my comment, as it was too long - and it was! Every time I got the error message!

Fiona said...

"Breastmilk. Every little helps"

Jo said...

I like 'anytime, anyplace, anywhere'.

The convenience of nursing is what attracts me!