Breastfeeding Photo Contest

In the wake of women getting kicked out of Victoria's Secret for breastfeeding, and states having to pass laws to give women the right to breastfeed in public, How Cool Is THIS!?

Valley latching on to annual photo contest

By Rebecca Whitney
The Pictorial
Jul 15 2006

Success is only a breast away.

The third annual breastfeeding photo contest is calling for submissions to compile a 2007 calendar in celebration of breastfeeding mothers and their families.

"It's so cool because it honours breast feeding mothers and their babies," says Margaret Moss's Wendy Robb.

Margaret Moss Health Centre, Ts'ewulhtun Health Centre and La Leche League Cowichan are hosting the annual contest to raise awareness about the health benefits arising from breastfeeding.

There were 80 entries in the competition last year and the 12 best were chosen for the calendar, which sold all 250 of the copies printed.

This year the contest winners will be announced at a tea on Oct. 6 and prizes range from getaways to dinners out, all designed to pamper the photographer, so Robb encourages proud dads to get out the camera and start shooting.

The contest is open to all and welcomes pictures of any description - black and white, colour, digital, old or new.

"We've had some very artistic photos with a lot of skin. It's been so successful and so much fun," says Robb of the contest and calendar compilation, and it has really caught on.

La Leche League Canada is following the example of Cowichan Valley breastfeeding enthusiasts and doing a contest of their own.

The Cowichan Valley holds a week in honour of breastfeeding in October. This year the week's events will be held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 and will start off with the annual breastfeeding challenge which hopes to gather together as many breastfeeding women as possible in one location.

The contest closes Aug. 4. To submit to the contest just pick up an application form at Margaret Moss Health Centre, Ts'ewulhtun Health Centre or Kaatza Health Centre and drop off the photo and form to Margaret Moss to have your picture displayed and entered in the contest.

And Robb encourages all breastfeeding women in the Valley to bare some skin and join the celebration.

"Getting photos done to honour the whole process is so empowering for women."

Until next time,
Remember, You are Remarkable!

Jackie Lee