Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - NBCC Pre-Conference Events & Webinar Registration Now Open, & More

Weekly Wire: March 6, 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
  • 2026 NBCC: Pre-Conference Events & Webinar Registration Now Open
  • Apply or Nominate a Breastfeeding Changemaker for a USBC Award
  • Welcoming New USBC Member Organizations: Nursing Mothers Counsel, Inc. and the Texas Breastfeeding Coalition 
• National News
  • NACCHO Executive Summary & Infographic: Insights from the Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes in the U.S. Southeast Community of Practice
  • 1,000 Days National Nutrition Month Social Media Toolkit
  • Protect Infant Formula from Contamination Act Introduced in Senate
• Action Opportunities
• Upcoming Events
• News & Views
• Journal Publications

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

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USBC Updates

2026 NBCC: Pre-Conference Events & Webinar Registration Now Open

This year’s National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening will feature a webinar and two Pre-Conference Events aimed at enhancing your conference experience by providing additional education and opportunities to directly engage in federal policy advocacy efforts.  

Note: Pre-conference events are offered concurrently. Participants are invited to choose the session that best aligns with their interests, as the two sessions cannot be attended simultaneously. 

Pre-Conference Webinar – Monday, May 18, 2026

• "Framing, Storytelling, and Policy Asks: Engaging Congress on Infant Nutrition Security through Breastfeeding Webinar"

Explore how to position breastfeeding within federal policy conversations, develop clear and values-driven messaging, and navigate the practical steps of initiating congressional engagement. This webinar will also help prepare participants for the Advocacy Day Pre-Conference event. 

Pre-Conference Events – Wednesday, June 3, 2026  

• "Advocacy Day at Capitol Hill"

Join the USBC for a day of coordinated congressional engagement to advance federal policies that support breastfeeding and strengthen infant nutrition security. Meet with Members of Congress and congressional staff to elevate breastfeeding as a federal policy priority. 

• "Cutting Through the Clutter: Effective Communications Strategies for Public Health Messaging"

Strengthen your communication skills and learn how to break through today’s noisy, polarized information environment. This interactive workshop is designed for public health professionals, lactation advocates, and anyone who wants to communicate evidence-based information with clarity and confidence. 

Apply or Nominate a Breastfeeding Changemaker for a USBC Award

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee's 2026 Awards Application is open throughout the month of March! Each year, our conference awards recognize and celebrate individuals advancing breastfeeding and lactation support through leadership, advocacy, research, systems change, and community-based work. These honorees represent the heart of our field, people whose dedication, vision, and persistence make a lasting impact year after year. Our 2026 Awards categories include the Hamlin-Taylor Community Impact Leader Award, the Native Knowledge Award, and the Cultural Changemaker Award. Find more details and learn more about what each award category represents on the submission form's front page. 

We are seeking nominations for individuals who have demonstrated long-term commitment to breastfeeding advocacy or support, are leading meaningful work at the community, state, or national level, and often do vital work that may be underrecognized or behind the scenes. Apply for yourself or nominate an individual you'd like to lift up by filling out the 2026 NBCC Awards Application now. This application window will close on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at midnight PT.

Welcoming New USBC Member Organizations: Nursing Mothers Counsel, Inc. and the Texas Breastfeeding Coalition 

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is thrilled to welcome 18 organizations to the USBC member network as of January 2026! To welcome them, each edition of the Weekly Wire newsletter is spotlighting two of the new member organizations, presented in alphabetical order from the new cohort. Access the archive to review past editions. The USBC warmly welcomes all new and returning member organizations to our table! This week, we are highlighting Nursing Mothers Counsel, Inc. and the Texas Breastfeeding Coalition.

The Nursing Mothers Counsel’s (NMC) highly trained volunteer counselors provide free lactation education and support to new parents regardless of their geographical location. They offer free virtual breastfeeding classes and run a warmline where parents can call counselors seven days a week, offering counseling services in English, Spanish, Cantonese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Portuguese. Our counselors provide free lactation support by phone, text, email, or online video chat. If a parent is in the same geographical area a counselor is available, NMC provides free home visits. 

The Texas Breastfeeding Coalition began in the early 1990s with local activists seeking to strengthen breastfeeding promotion across the state, leading to the formation of the Texas State chapter of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) in 1992. In 2011, the coalition evolved into the Texas Breastfeeding Coalition, a statewide, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding as the foundation of lifelong health. The coalition works to strengthen breastfeeding support across healthcare, workplaces, and communities by advancing education, advocacy, and systems change. 

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National News

 NACCHO Executive Summary & Infographic: Insights from the Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes in the U.S. Southeast Community of Practice

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) released an Executive Summary Report, "Insights from the Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes in the U.S. Southeast Community of Practice." The report showcases findings from the 2025 Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes in the U.S. Southeast Community of Practice (CoP). NACCHO initiated the CoP because Local Health Departments (LHDs) are vital in promoting breastfeeding practices and are well-positioned as health leaders and community partners to improve breastfeeding outcomes. NACCHO also published an accompanying infographic that visualizes the report findings. 

1,000 Days National Nutrition Month Social Media Toolkit

1,000 Days released the #March4Nutrition Social Media Toolkit in honor of National Nutrition Month. The toolkit offers sample social media posts and graphics that align with the observance's weekly themes, making it easy to participate throughout the month. Week three's theme is Breastfeeding Support to Help Families Thrive and will take place on Sunday, March 15, through Saturday, March 21.

Protect Infant Formula from Contamination Act Introduced in Senate

Senator Peters (MI) introduced the Protect Infant Formula from Contamination Act (S.272). The bill would require infant formula manufacturers to report contamination, adulteration, or misbranding to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within one business day and require the FDA to respond within one business day. The bill would also require the FDA to determine within 90 days whether appropriate corrective action has been taken and to periodically report to Congress on efforts to improve infant formula safety and supply.

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Action Opportunities

National WIC Association: "Support the Modern WIC/21st Century WIC Act!" Action deadline: n/a.

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Upcoming Events

Wednesday, March 11:

• Healthy Eating Research (HER) and the Nutrition and Obesity Policy and Research Network (NOPREN) Breastfeeding and Lactation Subgroup: "Supporting Breastfeeding in the U.S.: Key Findings of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Report" (Join the HER NOPREN Breastfeeding Sub-Group here.)

Thursday, March 26:

•  North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition: "North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition Statewide Meetings: Preparing for Minority Health Month"

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News & Views

KAMR: "InfantRisk Center Explains Milk Bank/Breastfeeding Benefits"

Massey University: "Protecting human milk as a life-saving medical intervention"

Mesa County: "WIC helps bridge nutrition gap in Mesa County"

New Jersey Senate Democrats: "Timberlake, Ruiz Bill Expanding Protections for Breastfeeding Employees Advances"

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Journal Publications

International Breastfeeding Journal: "Loss aversion and the limits of breastfeeding promotion: a behavioral policy perspective"

Trends in Immunology: "Got milk? how T cells shape lactation and beyond" Media highlights include:

• Medical Xpress: "Why breastfeeding's benefits may last years: Immune cells link lactation to long-lasting health"

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U.S. Breastfeeding Committee
1629 K Street NW Suite 300 | Washington, District of Columbia 20006
(773) 359-1549 | [email protected] 

 

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