Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - NBM Commences, Virtual Summit Reflections, & 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: Weekly Wire - NBM Commences, Virtual Summit Reflections, & more

8/1/2025

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Celebration for the Forward Together: Meeting the Moment Virtual Summit!
Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month
National News
- New CDC NIS-Child Breastfeeding Data Available
- New WIC Breastfeeding Support Resources
- Bill Introduced to Prevent Cost-Sharing Requirements for Prenatal, Childbirth, Neonatal, Perinatal, or Postpartum Health Care
Action Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views

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

USBC Updates

Celebration for the Forward Together: Meeting the Moment Virtual Summit!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Forward Together: Meeting the Moment virtual summit yesterday and helped make it an enriching experience! We are grateful to our partners, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) and the American Public Health Association (APHA) Breastfeeding Forum, for partnering with us on the Summit, for our Keynote Presenter, Dr. Camara Jones, and for all of the speakers and moderators whose participation made this an engaging and insightful event! We sincerely hope all participants enjoyed learning and connecting and are feeling inspired to continue working in support of all families across the nation. We look forward to continuing the conversation at an upcoming event.

Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month

National Breastfeeding Month has commenced! The 2025 NBM theme is Forward Together. Join us as we take the time in August (and beyond!) for action, education, and celebration of our collective efforts. Share your organization's plans with us so we can amplify your work in the Weekly Wire and on social media, shop the USBC Store for official NBM merch, and make a donation to help support important campaigns like this one. Highlights from the field include:

AANHPI Lactation Collaborative: In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Lactation Week, the AANHPI Lactation Collaborative is hosting, "Beyond Words: Lactation Support for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families," part one of a multi-part webinar series on language and lactation on Friday, August 15. This session features a panel discussion of health professionals and community members and will center the lived experiences of clients who do not share the same language as their lactation providers.
Arkansas Breastfeeding Coalition: The Arkansas Breastfeeding Coalition and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are hosting the "2025 ABC Breastfeeding Symposium", offering one virtual session each Friday of August, starting August 8, from 12 to 1 p.m. CT. Access the full session schedule.
GOLD Learning: In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, GOLD Learning is hosting a virtual event, "Rooted and Resilient: Cultivating Professional Well-Being and Sustainable Care in Lactation" on Tuesday, August 5. This session invites lactation professionals to examine the roots of their practice (values, boundaries, and support systems) and how these can grow into resilient careers that thrive without burnout and sustain a healthy system of support for breastfeeding families.
Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition: In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, the Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition is hosting a free educational webinar, "Navigating Social Determinants of Health and How They Affect Breastfeeding" on Thursday, August 7. The session will discuss social determinants of health and actions that can combat barriers to care.
NACCHO: In celebration of National Breastfeeding Month, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Public Health Law Center (PHLC) are hosting a webinar, "Building Policy, Supporting Families: Advancing Breastfeeding Initiatives Together" on Wednesday, August 27. The event will highlight policy efforts that support breastfeeding and lactation services, as well as their impact on maternal and child health populations.
Native Breastfeeding Coalition of Wisconsin: The Native Breastfeeding Coalition of Wisconsin is hosting the sixth annual Big Virtual Latch On Event in celebration of Indigenous Milk Medicine Week on Tuesday, August 12. The event will share stories of Indigenous Milk, and the coalition is inviting milk makers and supporters to share their story or photos via email to [email protected].
Semana de la Lactancia Latina: The Semana de la Lactancia Latina (Latina/x Breastfeeding Week) organizers are hosting a virtual "2025 Semana de Lactancia Latina Launch-Opening Session" on Monday, September 8 to kickoff Latina/x Breastfeeding Week, as well as a "Latinx Breastfeeding Week Closing Ceremony" on Friday, September 12 to reflect on the observance's activities.
Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network: In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Civil Society Network is hosting a webinar, "Prioritise Breastfeeding – Innovations in Practices and Policies Across the World." The session will highlight how global SUN civil society alliances are advancing breastfeeding through innovative policies and grassroots campaigns.

Breastfeeding Proclamations

Colorado: Governor Polis proclaimed August 2025 as Colorado Breastfeeding Month.
Hawaii: Governor Green proclaimed August 2025 as Hawai'i Breastfeeding Month.
Kansas: Governor Kelly proclaimed August 2025 as Kansas Breastfeeding Month.
Michigan: Governor Whitmer proclaimed August 2025 as Breastfeeding Month in Michigan.
Mississippi: Governor Reeves proclaimed August 2025 as Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Missisiippi.
North Carolina: Governor Stein proclaimed August 1-7, 2025, as World Breastfeeding Week in North Carolina.
Texas: Governor Abbott proclaimed August 2025 as Breastfeeding Month in Texas.
Wisconsin: Governor Evans proclaimed August 8-14, 2025, as Indigenous Milk Medicine Week throughout the State of Wisconsin.

NBM News & Views

Financial Content: "Mothers' Milk Bank California Hosts 16 Milk Drives — 14 In‑Person & 2 Virtual Events Across California and Nevada During National Breastfeeding Awareness Month 2025"
Hays Post: "KOERNER: Celebrating National Breastfeeding Month"
LMT Online: "Laredo Public Health to host proclamation, health fair for Breastfeeding Awareness"
News Tribune: "For Your Health: Breastfeeding is public health issue"
On the Wight: "Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week with a family picnic in Newport"
Savannah Business Journal: "July 24 - Celebration of World Breastfeeding Week Set for Aug. 2 in Savannah"

National News

New CDC NIS-Child Breastfeeding Data Available

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new breastfeeding rates from the National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child) on the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) Breastfeeding Rates webpage. CDC uses data from the NIS-Child to measure the number of children who are breastfed each year and monitor progress toward the nation’s breastfeeding targets, as outlined in Healthy People 2030 (HP2030). The new NIS-Child breastfeeding data from the 2023 and 2024 surveys are among babies born in 2022. The data shows that among infants born in 2022, 85.7% are ever breastfed and 27.9% are exclusively breastfed through six months.

New WIC Breastfeeding Support Resources

The Food and Nutrition Service released new resources on the WIC Breastfeeding Support Website. The "Breastfeeding Multiples" article features practical tips, common challenges, and ways to support families with breastfeeding two or more babies, before and after the babies arrive. The "Breastfeeding Basics Quiz" is a new interactive quiz you can share with WIC participants to review key information about how milk is made, hunger cues, and more.

Bill Introduced to Prevent Cost-Sharing Requirements for Prenatal, Childbirth, Neonatal, Perinatal, or Postpartum Health Care

Senator Hyde-Smith (MS) introduced the Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act (S. 1834/H.R. 3762). The bill would require health plans to cover comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care without cost-sharing. The bill would primarily impact the health insurance industry, but specific financial implications for premiums or overall health care costs are not detailed.