New NY Breastfeeding Campaign: Effective or Obnoxious?

Yesterday on Twitter, @Sistertoldja posted a picture she took of a new breastfeeding campaign that recently debuted in New York. Created by the Department of Health, the campaign slogan is "Breastfeeding....For My Baby. For Me." Here is the photo she snapped at a bus shelter in NYC.

Gorgeous picture, great slogan, wonderful message. Yes, breastfeeding is wonderful for the baby, but more and more we are finding out just how beneficial breastfeeding is for moms. From the recent study that showed that breastfeeding for even one month can cut your risk of diabetes by 27%, to the decreased rates of breast and ovarian cancer in moms who've breastfed, to lowering your risk of heart disease, not breastfeeding has consequences for both women and babies.

And then of course there is one of the most lauded benefits of nursing, the weight loss. We've all heard that breastfeeding burns an additional 500 calories a day and that moms who breastfeed lose the post partum weight quicker and are able to keep it off longer. Of course, breastfeeding didn't help me or Salma Hayek lose an ounce, but I know it has worked for many women. And I've never had a problem with people touting weight loss as a benefit to breastfeeding. After all, if we want women to breastfeed, it has to be appealing, and what is more appealing than the guarantee of getting back into your skinny jeans within a few months without having to clock any time at the gym?

But what about this ad? Is it effective or obnoxious? Does it rub you the wrong way?




It's like they took the script from a Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers commercial and replaced "meetings" and "sensible meal plan" with breastfeeding. After loving the print ad so much, I was disappointed to see this TV ad.

So what say you? Was this ad a misstep or will it appeal to some women? Is it smart to promote weight loss as a reason to breastfed? Is this too cheesy to even get upset about? What do you think?



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