Celebrating World Breastfeeding Month 2024

Moms -- we know that breastfeeding our little one happens anywhere, anytime. It could be in the middle of the night, during your work meeting, on vacations, and every place in between. It's a journey and every August we pause to celebrate and shed some light on breastfeeding.  

Did You Know? 

As we celebrate breastfeeding moms, we found a couple interesting facts for you:

- Breastfeeding burns between 500 to 600 calories a day. This would be equal to running for 40 minutes at a 12-minute mile pace. 

- If you breastfeed for one year that's about 1,800 hours. Think about this: a full-time job with 3 weeks vacation is 1,960 hours. 

- The size of your breasts has nothing to do with how much you make. A woman with small breasts could produce more than a mom with large breasts. 

- When you breastfeed, your brain releases prolactin and oxytocin, which help you bond with your baby. These hormones also ease feelings of stress and anxiety. 

World Breastfeeding Week

Each year, between August 1 and August 7, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action organizes World Breastfeeding Week. WBW is a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness and sparking conversation and change around breastfeeding.

National Breastfeeding Month

August also marks National Breastfeeding Month. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee made it official in August of 2011 with the goal of creating action and conversation about policy and practice changes that need to take place to support mothers and their children and families. 

The theme in 2024 is “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all. ” Organizers hope this year's theme helps draw attention to how we can all support moms on their breastfeeding journey. 

Hopefully you can find ways to connect with moms who are going through the same daily challenges that you are. There are lots of ways to follow along on social media and support organizations and groups around you. This is a way to bring awareness to something we care about and think about every single day of the year.