Canada Breastfeeds News

Changing attitudes, changing environments

The Peel Health Breastfeeding Advocacy Group has developed innovative strategies to help make their community more breastfeeding friendly. These include the development of a region-wide breastfeeding strategy and public education and marketing.

Ten major malls in the Region of Peel were given a PowerPoint presentation that emphasized the social aspects and business implications of supporting the region’s 11,000 breastfeeding mothers. Suggestions for signage, designated parenting areas and ideas for supporting breastfeeding anywhere within the malls were provided. The second step of this retail education project is to provide follow-up education sessions on Human Rights Legislation for security staff and provide Breastfeeding Friendly logos for mall promotional literature.

The PowerPoint presentation was also tailored for use in the region’s three library divisions with the emphasis being on a fact/research-based approach. Also included in the presentation were photographs of a mother breastfeeding

in the library while reading to her children.

A presentation entitled “A Common Purpose” was given to the three Parks and Recreation divisions (Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga) again emphasizing the importance of accepting breastfeeding in a recreational environment.

The group has also designed a wallet-sized card that reinforces the Human Rights message and gives contact numbers, appropriate for distribution to staff, nursing mothers and the general public.

In May 2002, the Peel group approved a region-wide Breastfeeding Workplace Policy – the first for Ontario.

The Peel group is currently working to produce a sculpture of a mother breastfeeding her child to be displayed in public. For more information, contact the Breastfeeding Advocacy Group through their web site at: www.region.peel.on.ca or call Health Line Peel at 905 799-7700.

Lory Levere of the Peel Health Advocacy Group conducts an information session on breastfeeding and human rights.

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