Reflecting on National Breastfeeding Month 2023 Wins

Suzan Aljouni, USBC Public Health Writing Specialist

​The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is thrilled to have wrapped up another successful National Breastfeeding Month! Our collective work promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding and human milk access for all families is ongoing, so we are taking a moment to look back on some of the highlights from the month.

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National Breastfeeding Month 2023 Features First Ever Celebration of Latina/x Breastfeeding Week

​The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee was joined by our extensive network of members and partners to celebrate the National Breastfeeding Month weekly observances starting with World Breastfeeding Week, and followed by Indigenous Milk Medicine Week, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week, Black Breastfeeding Week, and the first-ever Semana de La Lactancia Latina or Latina/x Breastfeeding Week! 

​In our commitment to advancing equity in the field, we recognize the importance of acknowledging the unique challenges, barriers, and needs each community faces in optimizing infant nutrition. Semana de La Lactancia Latina is an exciting new addition to the month during which we can amplify the breastfeeding experiences of Latino families across the nation. Each week offered opportunities to learn, connect, and take action.

USBC Lights up Times Square

​In the most visible celebration of National Breastfeeding Month in U.S. Breastfeeding Committee history, we co-produced a video billboard advertisement that aired in New York City's Times Square during National Breastfeeding Month! 

Created in partnership with A Better Balance, the American Civil Liberties Union, MomsRising, National WIC Association, and the Center for WorkLife Law, the ad, which ran on two billboards, celebrated the passage of the PUMP Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and included consumer-friendly information on these essential new rights for parents. Visit the Know Your Rights webpage to learn more. 

Representative Carolyn Maloney at the Bumps & Pumps Pop-Up event in Times Square

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The celebration began with the Bumps & Pumps Pop-Up event in Times Square, coordinated by MomsRising. This public event featured a special address from former Representative Carolyn Maloney, a longtime champion for pregnant and breastfeeding workers.
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In addition, this year, the USBC celebrates the achievement of 23 state, city, and county proclamations acknowledging National Breastfeeding Month and weekly observances. Thank you to everyone who organized the applications for those proclamations, and to everyone who engaged with National Breastfeeding Month celebrations and contributed to the month’s success!