New mums are being encouraged by the Ministry of Health to go public with their breasts and take a snapshot for a photo competition. The Breastfeeding New Zealand photo competition - part of the Ministry’s national breastfeeding education campaign - calls on mothers to enter photos of themselves breastfeeding against backdrops with a regional flavour, such as a Pohutukawa tree in Northland or a South Auckland market. Canterbury District Health Board Healthy Eating Health Action portfolio manager Kim Sinclair says the competition is about showing that breastfeeding in public is completely natural. Ms Sinclair says breastfeeding gives babies a great start in life, "helping them develop physically and emotionally", building immunity and providing "a perfect blend of nutrients". Not only that she says, women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of some breast cancers and may have a better chance of avoiding ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and hip fractures in later life. The best photos will be selected from eight regions - Northland, Auckland, Upper Central North Island, Lower Central North Island, Wellington, Upper South Island, Canterbury/South Canterbury, Otago/Southland. The competition runs until February 12 and winners will be announced February 19.