Evaluation of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign (Babies Were Born to be Breastfed): Is Risk Susceptibility Associated With Higher Breastfeeding Rates?

In 2004, the two-year National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign was launched by the Ad Council as the first multi-media campaign to promote exclusive breastfeeding for six months. It focused on building confidence and identifying the health consequences of not breastfeeding. Eighteen Community Demonstration Projects (CDP) were funded to provide lactation support and promote the campaign. The IFPS II evaluated the impact of the campaign immediately after it ended. About one-quarter of pregnant women saw one or more TV (6.5%), billboard (15.1%), or magazine ads (10%). Mothers who saw the ads or lived in a CDP area were significantly more likely than their counterparts to agree that breastfed babies are less likely to get ear infections, respiratory illness. Mothers exposed to the ads were more likely to agree that babies should be breastfed exclusively for six months. Living in a CDP area was significantly associated with higher breastfeeding rates at one month (79 vs 72%), three months (73 vs 60%), and six months (57 vs 49%). Exclusive breastfeeding rates were 1.6 times greater in CDP areas at one and three months. Breastfeeding rates for the three ages were 2-3 times higher among mothers who agreed with the risk statements. These results were more pronounced in mothers with college education and those not enrolled in WIC. The billboards and TV ads were associated with higher breastfeeding rates, while magazine ads were not. Consistent with the Health Belief Model, campaign messages and living in a CDP area were associated with higher breastfeeding rates.