Staying Abreast: USBC Policy Webinar on Monday, NBCC Milk Medicine is Ceremony Plenary Session, & More

The USBC e-Newsletter, Staying Abreast, is published in a weekly news brief format, called the Weekly Wire (WW). Past issues are archived below.

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Staying Abreast: USBC Policy Webinar on Monday, NBCC Milk Medicine is Ceremony Plenary Session, & More

5/15/2026

Weekly Wire: May 15, 2026

The Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire e-Newsletter is a compendium of news, actions, and resources considered to be of interest or relevance to the breastfeeding field. The newsletter aims to support the USBC mission "To drive collaborative efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States." Included items are submitted for consideration or identified by the USBC e-news team via extensive online review. Whenever possible, the newsletter utilizes language directly from the primary source of an item without additional analysis or edits. In some cases, the USBC offers additional perspectives through the "USBC Insights," media and partner highlights, and the "News & Views" section. Inclusion of an item in the e-newsletter does not imply endorsement or support by the USBC of an item or organization, unless specifically noted.

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Milk Medicine is a Ceremony: Love, Land Back, and Liberation in Practice
- Join us Monday! USBC Policy Webinar on Engaging Congress in Breastfeeding
- Last Chance to Book: NBCC Hotel Block Expires Today
National News
- AMCHP MCH Storytelling Course
- IMPACT to Save Moms Act Introduced
State & Community News
- Georgia Bill Granting Paid Leave to State Employees Signed Into Law
- Nebraska Bill Introduced to Require Medicaid Coverage of Doula Support
- Oklahoma Bill Expanding Paid Leave Signed Into Law
Action Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

denotes a USBC member organization news item denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item

USBC Updates

Milk Medicine is a Ceremony: Love, Land Back, and Liberation in Practice

The 2026 National Breastfeeding Conference and Convening (NBCC) is almost here! We are excited to spotlight a powerful plenary session exploring breastfeeding, lactation, and infant feeding through the lens of Indigenous knowledge, governance, and community care: "Milk Medicine is a Ceremony: Love, Land Back, and Liberation in Practice." By centering Indigenous governance, lived expertise, and intergenerational wisdom alongside contemporary public health and clinical perspectives, this plenary invites attendees to imagine new pathways toward infant nutrition justice and equitable systems of care. Visit our conference webpage to learn more about this session on our agenda and register to join us for the 2026 NBCC next month!

Join us Monday! USBC Policy Webinar on Engaging Congress in Breastfeeding

The U.S. Breastfeeding is hosting the "Framing, Storytelling, and Policy Asks: Engaging Congress on Infant Nutrition Security through Breastfeeding Webinar" in partnership with MomsRising and Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition on Monday, May 18. In this webinar, participants will explore how to position breastfeeding within federal policy conversations, develop clear and values-driven messaging, and navigate the practical steps of initiating congressional engagement. Presenters will share insights from their experience engaging with congressional offices and offer realistic guidance to support confident, effective advocacy. This webinar is approved for 1.00 L-CERP.

Note: USBC Annual Conference attendees who have registered for the Advocacy Day preconference workshop will be automatically registered for this webinar.

Last Chance to Book: NBCC Hotel Block Expires Today

The discounted hotel group rate for the National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda has been extended through today, Friday, May 15, 2026. After this date, the conference room block rate will expire, and any remaining rooms will be available only at the hotel’s standard rates and subject to availability. Book your stay soon to secure the discounted conference rate by tonight!

National News

AMCHP MCH Storytelling Course

The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) released a course, "Leveraging Storytelling for Maternal & Child Health Policy." This module aims to provide an overview of key storytelling concepts in relation to maternal and child health (MCH), and to provide guidance, tools, and resources for MCH professionals to utilize storytelling to impact the policy process. This module pulls concepts from various fields, including psychology, behavioral science, communications, and public health, to support users in learning about and building skills in storytelling.

IMPACT to Save Moms Act Introduced

Senator Blunt Rochester (DE) introduced the Innovative Maternal Payment and Coverage To (IMPACT to) Save Moms Act (S 4481). The bill would establish a demonstration project allowing states to test alternative payment models for perinatal care provided under Medicaid and CHIP, with a focus on improving outcomes for populations with elevated rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. The demonstration project would consider payment models that include diverse maternity care teams incorporating perinatal health workers, evidence-based quality metrics, and social determinants of maternal health.

State & Community News

Georgia Bill Granting Paid Leave to State Employees Signed Into Law

Georgia Governor Kemp signed HB 1118 into law. The new law grants three weeks of paid maternal birth leave to certain state employees.

Nebraska Bill Introduced to Require Medicaid Coverage of Doula Support

Nebraska Senator Spivey introduced LB 701. The bill would mandate Medicaid coverage for doula services.

Oklahoma Bill Expanding Paid Leave Signed Into Law

Oklahoma Governor Stitt signed HB 3467 into law, extending paid maternity leave benefits to include school district employees who adopt a child younger than four years old. The new law allows eligible employees six weeks of paid leave immediately following the birth or adoption of a child.