There is a new advert out on UK billboards.  The pic is a 6-month old ish baby
coming off the breast with a big smile.  The caption is 'mmmm, Mum's been at the
Irn-Bru again.'

Irn-Bru is a soft drink type thing -- about as nutritionally sound as Mountain
Dew, and not a great thing for bf mothers (caffeine, additives, etc, I assume),
but I was thinking the ad was great -- at last, something else being advertised
by using breastfeeding!  Indeed, my 11-year old daughter first pointed it out to
me with great approval.

I have just spoken to a journalist who says that there has been a lot of
opposition to the ad.  Apparantly the Royal College of Midwives think it makes
bf a joke and will make it harder for those who find bf embarrassing cos jokes
are embarrassing.

I have to say, on this one, 'lighten up!'  To me it is a sign that bf is
something in everyday life, which is the material advertising draws on for
material.  It normalises bf.

Sounded to me as if the RCM felt bf belongs to the medical / health context and
not in real life.  Or, do they think its such a 'noble part of the sacred
calling of motherhood' that it should not be cheapened in this way???  Anyway, I
am no fan of advertisers, but in this case I will continue to try to enjoy the
billboards.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

PS Never heard the RCM complaining about all the anti-woman sexist advertising
over the years.

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