This Special Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which was initiated from August 1997 to August 2000, sought to reframe the traditional health benefits of breastfeeding to emphasise a new benefit: the development of a special relationship with an infant from birth. The primary audience included pregnant Anglo American, African American, Hispanic, and Native American women who were enrolled in the WIC programme or were income-eligible (annual income below 185% of the US poverty guidelines). The secondary audience (who might influence the primary audience) included mothers, husbands, and boyfriends of pregnant women; WIC nutritionists and clerical staff; and prenatal health care providers. The project also sought to reach the general public, who might effect change in the established social norms and prevailing public perception regarding breastfeeding. The programme's objectives were to:

• Increase the number of breastfeeding women;
• increase the average duration of breastfeeding among WIC programme participants;
• increase the number of referrals to WIC for breastfeeding support and technical assistance; and
• increase acceptance and support for breastfeeding among the general public.

Main Communication Strategies
Media as well as grassroots advocacy comprised the bulk of the promotion strategy, with media adopting a congratulatory tone and communicating through family spokespersons. The programme promoted the WIC breastfeeding project using a variety of methods and a broad range of outlets, including: legislative, policy, and organisational development; media and grassroots advocacy; professional training and education; peer counselor programmes; and direct marketing and advertising. Carrying the slogan "Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work," programme materials explained the supportive role family members and friends can play in encouraging a new mother to breastfeed. Another key component of the marketing plan was its strategy of minimising or eliminating the deterrents or perceived costs of breastfeeding for new and prospective mothers. The campaign tried to reach women who doubted their breastfeeding ability or who felt that breastfeeding was embarrassing or conflicted with their active lives and relationships. To address these perceived costs, public education materials were created for each group of women, and a counseling programme was developed for health care providers to assist them in identifying common misperceptions and helping mothers work through them.

Programme materials included three bilingual (English and Spanish) television commercials, three bilingual radio commercials, outdoor billboards, nine bilingual posters, nine bilingual educational pamphlets, and several information and resource guides and WIC staff kits.To ensure effective coordination and implementation of the programme's elements at the state and local levels, a comprehensive training conference was held for WIC staff members from the ten pilot states. The conference sessions included presentations and seminars covering a broad range of topics, including research results and their implications for breastfeeding promotion; working with the media and utilising the marketing/media package; community and team building; and nontraditional communication methods. Additional breakout sessions allowed for skill development and team planning; by the conclusion of the conference, WIC staff attendees had developed detailed implementation plans for each of their respective states.

Placement strategy for the programme focused on reaching the various environments in which mothers and their friends and relatives obtain infant care information. Educational materials were developed to reach mothers and relatives in their homes; together with the World Health Organization and the UN Children's Fund, Best Start programme staff took steps to make hospital environments more supportive of breastfeeding mothers. Partnerships with other breastfeeding promotion organisations and professional associations were established through the USDA Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS's) Breastfeeding Promotion Consortium to further institutionalise and disseminate the programme.