World Breastfeeding Week 2021

Whether you are new to the breastfeeding scene or a seasoned breastfeeding mother, there is one thing that we all love about August - breastfeeding is celebrated around the world! 

August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), which is one week set aside to promote and support breastfeeding around the world.  WBW was developed by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) to call attention to breastfeeding and the actions that we can all do to better support breastfeeding families. 

In the U.S. we celebrate the entire month of August as National Breastfeeding Month, which is spearheaded by the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC).      

The theme for WBW and National Breastfeeding Month 2021 is Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility.  This year’s theme is incredibly important because it helps to shed light on the fact that it truly does take a village to support a breastfeeding family.  Breastfeeding families need support from 4 very important angles:

1. Communities.  Communities can support breastfeeding families in many ways.  Ensuring that there is skilled lactation support when families need assistance is imperative.  Not all families need skilled lactation support and community led support groups are ideal to meet their needs.  Local communities can provide protection for breastfeeding in public when families are out and about.     
   
   
2. Employers.  Working mothers need time and private space, other than a bathroom to express their milk during the work day.  The Break Time for Nursing Mothers Law protects some employees, but not all, which is why the P.U.M.P. For Nursing Mothers Act was introduced this year.  This new act will provide protection for all families wishing to express milk for their babies during their work hours.    
   
   
3. Government.  From paid family leave to adequate accommodations for expressing milk in the workplace, the government can do a lot more to support breastfeeding mothers through federal policies and legislation.  Active legislation in the U.S. government can be found on the USBC website.  You can help support each of these bills by contacting your local legislators to confirm your support for breastfeeding families.    
   
   
4. Medical Community.  What happens in the hospital can determine breastfeeding success or failure for many families.  It is very important that you choose healthcare providers that are supportive of breastfeeding and your family’s breastfeeding goals.  When choosing a place of birth look for facilities that are Baby Friendly Hospitals, which means that they have gone through a rigorous accreditation process to ensure that they are supportive of breastfeeding families in every way.   

We ALL have a responsibility to support and protect breastfeeding in our families, in our communities, and around the world.  What is one thing that you can do to support breastfeeding?