Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - Save the Date for the 2026 USBC Annual Conference! & 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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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 - Save the Date for the 2026 USBC Annual Conference! & more

10/10/2025

Weekly Wire: October 10, 2025

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
- Save the Date: 2026 National Breastfeeding Conference and Convening!
- Join the Movement: USBC Membership Enrollment Open Through October
National News
- National Work & Family Month Social Media Toolkit
State & Community News
- California Doula Directory for Medi-Cal Members
Action Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

Save the Date: 2026 National Breastfeeding Conference and Convening!

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is thrilled to announce that the 2026 National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening will be held in-person from Wednesday, June 3, through Friday, June 5, 2026, in Bethesda, Maryland. Conference registration, sponsorship, and marketing opportunities will open soon and will be shared in the Weekly Wire as they become available. Bookmark our conference webpage to stay updated on NBCC news and registration information. Stay tuned for more!

Join the Movement: USBC Membership Enrollment Open Through October

Are you part of an organization passionate about advancing breastfeeding policy and practice across the United States? Now is your chance to become part of the nation’s most unified voice for breastfeeding advocacy. Whether you're a national nonprofit, governmental agency, coalition, or community-based organization, we welcome you to explore membership with the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC). Here’s how to get started: Complete the USBC Membership Interest Form & Affiliated Coalitions Directory Request Form, the first step in our streamlined application process. Eligible organizations will be invited to submit their full membership application by Friday, October 31.

As a USBC member, you’ll join a dynamic network committed to equity, collaboration, and meaningful change. Together, we’re expanding, deepening, and diversifying our coalition to better serve families nationwide. Explore our Membership Directory to see who’s already making an impact. Discover the Benefits of Membership and how your organization can contribute to and benefit from being part of the USBC Membership Network.

National News

National Work & Family Month Social Media Toolkit

To celebrate National Work & Family Month, A Better Balance released the "National Work & Family Month Social Toolkit." The toolkit includes resources and sample language celebrating and raising awareness about the supports workers and families need. Organizations are invited to use the toolkit to call for the policy supports workers need in order to balance their jobs with their family and caregiving needs.

State & Community News

California Doula Directory for Medi-Cal Members

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) launched a new, user-friendly web-based Doula Directory for Medi-Cal members and doula providers, listing enrolled doulas by county along with their contact info, specializations, languages, pronouns, and National Provider Identifier. The directory is searchable, sortable, and downloadable as a CSV file.