PUBLIC HEALTH & EDUCATION | Newspapers Highlight Activities Related to World Breastfeeding Week
[Aug 6, 2008]

This week is the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action's World Breastfeeding Week. Summaries of related stories appear below.

~ Colorado: A law requiring employers to provide reasonable time and private space for women to breastfeed their infants will take effect on Thursday, the Summit Daily News reports (Allen, Summit Daily News, 8/4). The Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Act also requires that employers not discriminate against the breastfeeding women. Colorado is the 16th state to pass such a law. The Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition hosted a celebration Friday at the state Capitol building, where Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien (D) spoke about the legislation. Coalition representatives said the law will improve the health of Colorado mothers and children by increasing breastfeeding duration and exclusivity rates. According to the Pueblo Chieftain, research has shown that employers who provide breastfeeding support experience improved productivity and morale, greater retention, and reduced health care costs and absenteeism (Sword, Pueblo Chieftain, 8/4). The coalition posted on its Web site steps employers can take to ensure compliance with the new law (Summit Daily News, 8/4).

~ Kentucky: Public health officials are calling on employers, families and health workers to help improve breastfeeding rates in the state, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports. According to the 2008 CDC report card on breastfeeding exclusivity, Louisiana is the only state that has a lower breastfeeding rate than Kentucky. Less than half of Kentucky mothers breastfed their children at least once in 2005, compared with the national average of 74%, the analysis showed. After six months -- the minimum amount of time that health professionals recommend breastfeeding exclusively -- less than one-fourth of Kentucky mothers were breastfeeding, according to the report card. Breastfeeding initiation rates are higher in metropolitan areas of the state. According to the Herald-Leader, women in rural areas have less access to certified lactation specialists and breastfeeding supplies (Vos, Lexington Herald-Leader, 8/4).

~ New York City: The New York City Breastfeeding Promotion Leadership Committee on Friday led a demonstration during which about 24 women openly nursed their children on the city's subway system, the New York Daily News reports. The committee began the annual demonstration in 2004 after a mother breastfeeding her child on the subway was given a citation for indecent exposure. The group supports state legislation (S 1674) called the Breastfeeding Bill of Rights that would require all mothers to be informed of breastfeeding rights and options (Angelova, New York Daily News, 8/2).

~ Togo: UNICEF is working with the Togolese government to bolster community support groups and local initiatives that promote exclusive maternal breastfeeding over common traditional practices, the UN News Service reports. Pregnant and lactating mothers in Togo and other West African countries face problems in trying to obtain a healthy and well-balanced diet, according to Vincent Maku of UNICEF. About 28% of Togolese mothers exclusively breastfeed, and as many as 108 out of every 1,000 children in the country die before age five, often because of malnutrition, UN News Service reports. According to UN News Service, advocacy campaigns have had to address traditional Togolese feeding practices that can lead to malnutrition, such as supplementing infant diets with water or porridge (UN News Service, 8/4).





The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.

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