Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - New UNICEF Data, Guide on Advocating for Lactation Accommodations in Immigration Court, & 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.

Subscribe: visit the signup page
Submit: visit the submission form

Please note: Inclusion of an item in this e-newsletter does NOT imply endorsement or support of such item by the United States Breastfeeding Committee, unless specifically noted.

The WW goes on hiatus several times a year: the weeks of the Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's holidays, the weeks before the Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day holidays, and the weeks of the USBC membership meetings.

Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - New UNICEF Data, Guide on Advocating for Lactation Accommodations in Immigration Court, & more

5/2/2025

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Take Action! Organizational Sign-On Letter on FY26 Funding for CDC Breastfeeding Programs
- Save the Date for a Virtual Summit
- Share Your AANHPI Breastfeeding Resources
International News
- UN 2024 Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report
- UNICEF Breastfeeding Data Webpage Updated
National News
- CDC Yellow Book Features Travel & Breastfeeding Recommendations
- ACLU Guide on Advocating for Lactation Accommodations in Immigration Court
State & Community News
- New Jersey Bill Exempting Nursing Mothers from Jury Duty Signed Into Law
- New Jersey Public Comment Opportunity on Human Milk Bank Regulations
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

Take Action! Organizational Sign-On Letter on FY26 Funding for CDC Breastfeeding Programs

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is mobilizing the field to increase investments that support babies and families by urging Congress to direct $20M to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Hospitals Promoting Breastfeeding program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. To demonstrate widespread support for this funding, we invite your organization to sign on to our joint letter urging Congress to prioritize funding for breastfeeding and human milk feeding in the federal budget. To be included in the initial delivery to appropriations committee leaders, organizations must sign on by Thursday, May 15. After this deadline, additional signers will be added to the letter on a rolling basis and included in future deliveries. Click here to read the full letter.

Save the Date for a Virtual Summit

Save the date for a virtual convening hosted by the United States Breastfeeding Committee in collaboration with Reaching our Sisters Everywhere and the APHA Breastfeeding Forum: Thursday, July 31, from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. This day-long Virtual Summit is being thoughtfully designed to meet the moment with sessions and networking opportunities to connect and share resources. Please stay tuned for details and registration information that will be coming soon!

Share Your AANHPI Breastfeeding Resources

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month! During this month, we celebrate the diverse, rich culture of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, while shedding light on health disparities affecting the AANHPI population. To help us amplify resources and awareness of AANHPI Heritage Month, please submit your events and resources for sharing on the USBC AANHPI Month webpage and via social media channels.

International News

UN 2024 Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report

The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), a group led by UNICEF, released the "Levels and Trends in Child Mortality 2024 Report." While the global under-five mortality rate has fallen in the past two decades, this year’s UN IGME estimates show that progress is slowing as millions of children are still dying from preventable causes. These deaths are the result of unequal access to health care, nutrition, and protection, especially in the most fragile and underserved settings. This report highlights increasing support for breastfeeding as an effective intervention that reduces early childhood deaths, especially in high-mortality regions.

UNICEF Breastfeeding Data Webpage Updated

UNICEF updated the "Breastfeeding" webpage on the UNICEF Data website, reporting the most current breastfeeding data. The webpage provides and visualizes data on breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity rates around the world, comparing rates across regions.

National News

CDC Yellow Book Features Travel & Breastfeeding Recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the "2026 CDC Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel," a resource designed for healthcare professionals featuring a variety of travel medicine topics. The resource includes a "Travel and Breastfeeding" chapter, which helps guide healthcare professionals on how to prepare a breastfeeding traveler. The chapter recommends that healthcare professionals advise breastfeeding travelers on hydration, milk storage, and maintaining their milk supply during international travel.

ACLU Guide on Advocating for Lactation Accommodations in Immigration Court

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Acacia Center for Justice published "Strategies for Lactating Parents: A Removal Defense Advocate’s Guide." This practice guide is designed for legal service providers to advocate for breastfeeding and pumping accommodations at detention facilities and immigration courts. The resource details the experiences of advocates, the legal range of potential accommodations, and stakeholder strategies when the law is not decisive.

State & Community News

New Jersey Bill Exempting Nursing Mothers from Jury Duty Signed Into Law

New Jersey Governor Murphy signed Senate Bill 2236 into law. The new law exempts nursing and pumping mothers of children one year of age or younger from jury service. Media highlights include:

Governor Phil Murphy: "Governor Phil Murphy Signs Bill Exempting Nursing Mothers from Jury Duty"

New Jersey Public Comment Opportunity on Human Milk Bank Regulations

The New Jersey Department of Health has published proposed new rules to establish standards for Human Milk Bank Registration and Accreditation. The public is invited to submit written comments by Friday, June 20. Interested parties can submit comments electronically through the New Jersey Department of Health's legal ecomments webpage.