Booby Trap Bingo from Bosom Buddies on Vimeo.
To celebrate the start of World Breastfeeding Week 2016 (1 – 8 August 2016), Bosom Buddies has released Booby Trap Bingo, a shareable short documentary that blends comedy and bingo with boobs and breastfeeding to highlight the myriad of ‘Booby Traps’ that can interrupt the natural process of a mother feeding her baby. Booby Trap Bingo is the second film to be released on the Bosom Buddies website and social media channels. The first, Lactaboobiephobia, explores the stigma surrounding breastfeeding in public and was released when the campaign launched in mid-July.
Created by Melbourne documentary filmmakers, Anna Kaplan and Britt Arthur, the project was inspired by Kaplan’s own experiences of breastfeeding her son.
“Breastfeeding is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. No one told me how hard it could be and I was completely unprepared for the challenges I faced. I received lots of conflicting advice from health professionals and one problem quickly led to another. I felt like a complete failure as a mother, but I was lucky to have an incredibly supportive family and the resources to have numerous sessions with a private lactation consultant who eventually helped us get back on track,” Kaplan commented.
Kaplan went on to explain that embarking on casting for Booby Trap Bingo, the team appealed to women to share their breastfeeding stories by identifying the barriers (or ‘Booby Traps’) they encountered and how they overcame them with appropriate support. The team were inundated with stories that show that breastfeeding isn’t necessarily instinctive – it’s a learned behaviour for both mother and child, but modern western society doesn’t foster an environment where women can share wisdom and learn by example.
“The custom bingo game we designed for the film creates a novel and accessible forum for women to share their stories and, most importantly, their knowledge. By shifting the focus onto the barriers, the film reinforces that women who do face challenges are not alone and good support is available. The Bosom Buddies campaign then takes this concept a step further by stimulating a more positive conversation about how the wider community can be more supportive and empathetic towards breastfeeding mums,” Kaplan added.
The Bosom Buddies website provides a safe, curated space for women to share their stories and acknowledge those who supported their choice to breastfeed by:
• Nominating a Bosom Buddy (person, venue, business, workplace) who supported them
• Sharing stories that highlight the support they received and pass on helpful tips to other mums
• Pledging to support breastfeeding mums in some way and sharing the pledge to inspire others
• Joining the conversation on social media
The campaign also features celebrates high-profile Bosom Buddies like Adam Hills, Teresa Palmer, Chrissy Teigen and Alyssa Milano, all of whom have used their public profile to combat the social stigma associated with breastfeeding.
“Breastfeeding is a normal and natural thing to do. Mothers have the right to breastfeed their babies wherever they feel comfortable. In our society however, although breastfeeding is acknowledged as important for mothers and babies, some people make critical remarks or confront mothers with unnecessary and illegal ‘rules’. Therefore, the Australian Breastfeeding Association is delighted to partner with Bosom Buddies in this wonderful initiative that will help mothers to feel supported to breastfeed their babies in public.” Rebecca Naylor, CEO Australian Breastfeeding Association commented.
Lactaboobiephobia from Bosom Buddies on Vimeo.