This is a *big* news story today. Check out the hits returned from a
news.google.com (beta) search on breastfeeding:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=breastfeeding

Since my day job is public relations, I thought I'd post a few quick
observations on publicity opportunities:

In addition to the obvious - experts doing interviews - media outlets will
also be looking for the human interest side. Now is our chance to put some
real live women who *have* breastfed for longer periods out there to model
this behaviour for others.

Step one: Line up a couple of women who you know are articulate and willing
to do interviews. If you have some who breastfed and pumped while working
this is good (regardless of what we think about going back to work, this is
an angle journalists will be looking for, (especially in the US with such a
short mat leave), as this is perceived to be one of the major obstacles to
extended breast-feeding.

Step two: Call any local health/feature journalist contacts, tell them
you're aware of the story and you have a couple of women lined up who can
give them interviews and discuss how long the breastfed and how they
overcame obstacles.

Step three: if they bite, do what you can to facilitate the interview. Don't
worry too much about your moms - they don't need to be experts, their
success at long-term breastfeeding will speak for itself and this will be
the angle the journos will be looking for.

Warning - this will take up much of your day today, and if you don't have
the women line dup to interview first, it'll be stressful trying to track
them down after you've sold the reporter on the story.

Good luck.

-- Jodine Chase
(Who feels a little ike a paratrooper leader, shouting go go go as you all
jump off the plane...

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