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Abstract
Durations of breastfeeding activity in the United States fall short of established recommendations by leading public health institutions. In response to this problem, this study sought to develop environmentally friendly messages to promote continued breastfeeding for moms already breastfeeding in order to help them reach recommended breastfeeding durations. Messages were successfully cultivated to encourage moms already breastfeeding to meet recommended breastfeeding durations. In addition, this study cultivated strategies by which to use environmentally friendly messages to urge mothers who still need to decide whether to breastfeed or formula feed to breastfeed, although this was not the purpose of the research. Avenues for future communication-based breastfeeding research were also elucidated. The Elaboration Likelihood Model serves as useful theory to assess the role of environmentally friendly messages in the promotion of continued breastfeeding.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author acknowledges and thanks all of the individuals who contributed their comments and ideas to the development of this research, and the mothers who made this research possible.
Notes
An earlier version of this research received a Research Award of Distinction at the D.C. Health Communication Conference in March 2013. A. Hamilton has an MS in nutrition science from Syracuse University. This study was conducted through the Department of Nutrition Science at Syracuse University.