National Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign

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National Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign

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Healthy Eating - Healthy Action
Oranga Kai - Oranga Pumau

National Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign

The government has funded the Ministry of Health to develop a national breastfeeding promotion campaign to improve breastfeeding rates and duration, especially for high-need groups, and Māori and Pacific peoples who have lower rates of breastfeeding than the non-Māori and non-Pacific population.

Breastfeeding features in the Ministry’s Healthy Eating-Healthy Action (HEHA) strategy and its associated implementation plan. Breastfeeding in the early years is important for nutritional and physical wellbeing from infancy right through to adulthood. A breastfeeding promotion campaign provides the opportunity to contribute to efforts improve the long-term health of the population and reduce health inequalities between population groups.

For information on the campaign's progress view the Breastfeeding Social Marketing Campaign Update Newsletter.

Publications
Comprehensive Plan to inform the design of a national breastfeeding promotion campaign
The Ministry commissioned scoping work to determine the barriers to breastfeeding, particularly for Māori and Pacific peoples, and how to address those barriers.

A comprehensive plan was produced from the scoping work to inform the design of a national breastfeeding promotion campaign. The plan recommends that the proposed campaign takes a comprehensive approach and uses a range of strategies and messages to improve support for mothers, and to promote and encourage supportive environments for breastfeeding.

The overall goal of the campaign is to increase the proportion of infants being exclusively breastfed to six months and the proportion of infants partially breastfed beyond 6 months (this is consistent with World Health Organization breastfeeding recommendations).

Questions and Answers
Questions and answers about the National Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign

Related links
Breastfeeding.org.nz
Information on the National Breastfeeding Promotion Campaign.

Breastfeeding
Ministry of Health information on Breastfeeding.

National Breastfeeding Advisory Committee
The Ministry of Health has set up a new committee to develop, lead and co-ordinate a national breastfeeding plan aimed at improving New Zealand's breastfeeding rates.

Implementing and Monitoring the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in New Zealand
The International Code aims to contribute to providing safe and adequate nutrition for infants by protecting and promoting breastfeeding.

New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority (www.babyfriendly.org.nz)
NZBA's primary focus has been on the establishment of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), together with the development of the Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI).

La Leche League (www.lalecheleague.org.nz)
Our mission is to help mothers to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, education, information, and encouragement and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.

NZ Lactation Association (www.nzlca.org.nz)
International Board Certificated Lactation Consultants offer support and specialist assistance to mothers and seek to strengthen and support all others concerned with the care of postpartum women.

Page last updated: 28 July 2008