Breastfeeding campaign features local mother models

The Cole County Health Department Wednesday launched a new campaign trying to spread breastfeeding awareness.

Officials have made life sized stand-up posters of local women breastfeeding and will be putting these cut-outs in businesses throughout town.

Brittney Schaben and her 7-month-old son Elijah will soon have their poster all over Jefferson City.

Schaben and four other Cole County women and their babies posed for these life-sized breastfeeding posters. She understands the benefits but admits it can sometimes be embarrassing. Schaben said, “I’ll discretely breastfeed in public but it’s a big thing, a big step.”

Health officials said most women stop breastfeeding when their babies are about six months old and only about 70% percent of women breastfeed at all.

“If 90% percent of U.S. families breastfed exclusively for the first six months, then we would see that savings of $13 billion and 911 deaths that would not occur in infants,” said Director of Nutrition Services Melinda Ridenhour.

The posters are all modest with the women completely covered while feeding. Organizers said they hope this raises other mothers’ attention, by letting them know they are supported.

Ridenhour said, “We did want to make sure that the models were modest because we know that the community is not ready for something more revealing than that and to show that it can be done modestly and in a really good way.”

“It wouldn’t be as looked down on if people actually knew the benefits of what’s going on, it’s nothing to be ashamed of so, the more people that are aware, the easier it’ll become,” said Schaben.

One of the life-sized models will be placed at different places throughout town, so you might not know when or where you will find it.

For more information on breastfeeding, click here.