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Breastfeeding campaign coming to Kitsap County

Kitsap County plans to launch a campaign supporting breastfeeding moms next year.

Editor's note: The above video originally aired on August 6, 2019 on KING 5's sister station in Charlotte, N.C., WCNC.

Health officials in Kitsap County want to know your thoughts on breastfeeding.

The Kitsap County Public Health District distributed a survey last week as it prepares to launch a campaign that aims to support breastfeeding moms.

“We wanted to make sure -- is Kitsap a welcoming place for breastfeeding? Is this a space where families, moms feel comfortable breastfeeding anywhere in Kitsap County?” said Yolanda Fong, director of community health at Kitsap Public Health District. “That’s where we started exploring the idea of potentially doing a campaign to kind of normalize breastfeeding in our community.”

RELATED: Breastfeed 'wherever and whenever': Target store sign has moms rejoicing

The survey will be open through the end of August, and then the health district will analyze responses. The health district hopes to launch the campaign in early 2020.

Survey questions ask respondents about their experience and comfortability with breastfeeding and how friendly they feel the county is to breastfeeding moms. It also asks respondents about programs they may like to see implemented, including images of breastfeeding in the community, “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” stickers in business windows, and social media-based support groups. Fong said these are all avenues the county could look at in their campaign next year.

Over the first few days the survey was live, the health district recorded 843 responses, which Fong said was high compared to the district’s expectations.

“We’re excited that it’s even launching a conversation in our community, which is another win for us,” she said.

Although the health district has been working on breastfeeding support for some time with support groups and a coalition, Fong said the county has never done a community-wide survey around breastfeeding, which means community perceptions are widely unknown.

Kitsap’s campaign fits in among other movements to advocate for breastfeeding moms.

Clark, Kittitas, and Skagit counties are doing similar work under a SPAN grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

The Washington state Legislature also expanded protections for working breastfeeding moms with a new law that went into effect in July. Under SHB 1930, employees now have the right to break time for pumping breast milk for two years after the birth of a child. Their employer also must give them a private place to pump other than the bathroom or work with the employee to find a convenient location if there isn’t someplace private that would work.

RELATED: Pump break protections expanded for breastfeeding moms in Washington

Kitsap officials were spurred by a campaign in Philadelphia called “Philly Loves Breastfeeding,” which also aimed to normalize breastfeeding. Fong said organizers reported that responses to the campaign were primarily positive, which encouraged Kitsap health officials in their own efforts.

“Our hope will be that in the future that they’re hearing that moms feel welcome to breastfeed and that Kitsap is identified as a community where moms can breastfeed wherever they feel comfortable doing it,” Fong said.

According to the CDC, most mothers stop breastfeeding earlier than planned due to a lack of ongoing support.  

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