Sue Huml, LLLL, IBCLC
Lansinoh Laboratories Inc.,

This must be the week for breastfeeding on covers of magazines and today
the Chicago Tribune has an article about the rising popularity of
breastfeeding amongst the WIC population.  The story continues on the back
page of the main section and takes up 3/4 of the back page.

The story is all about the WIC PC program being responsible for quite a
turnaround in the breastfeeding stats for urban low income women deciding
to begin breastfeeding.  They quote Ross figures as more than 37%  of black
women chose to breastfeed last year as compared to 23% in 1990.

43% of teenage mothers opted to breastfeed their newborns, compared to 30%
in 1990.  The article also says that in 1990,  33%  of WIC mothers
breastfed compared to 63% non-WIC.  By 1996  almost 47% of WIC mothers were
breastfeeding compared with 70% non WIC mothers.  The article tells of
public service announcements on radio and TV that will be run in Illinois
which will use elements of the campaign to boost education, training and
community efforts to encourage breastfeeding.

The article also features some teen mothers who chose not to breastfeed in
spite of the breastfeeding classes they attended in pregnancy but overall,
it is a well done piece which clearly  promotes the superiority of
breastfeeding.

One other thing I noticed is that breastfeeding was ONE word, throughout
the article.  I don't think I have ever seen that before in the main stream
press!

I must have missed the new Ross stats (if they have been published) but am
delighted to learn that the overall initiation rate is now at 70%.  We ARE
making a difference.  yea.

The article is written by Sue Ellen Christian, Tribune Staff writer.  The
article might be able to be accessed at the Trib  internet edition   -
chicago.tribune.com
Hope you can all drop an email note to the Trib to say how happy we are
that breastfeeding promotion rates a front page news story in a major daily
newspaper.

Sue