Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire: We're Going to Times Square! & more

In this issue:

• USBC Updates
  • Celebrating New Rights for Lactating Parents: We're Going to Times Square! 
  • Celebrate National Breastfeeding Month By Making a Donation to the USBC
• Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month
• National News
  • HMBANA Sign-On Letter On Timely Reimbursement Under the TRICARE Program
  • WIC Breastfeeding Support Campaign Webinar
  • WIC Breastfeeding Support Articles Translated to Spanish
  • INFACT USA Survey on WHO Code Effectiveness
  • Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act Introduced
• State & Community News
  • California Work and Family Coalition 2023 Virtual Advocacy Week
  • Maine Returning to Work Toolkit
• Funding Opportunities
• Learning Opportunities
• News & Views
• Journal Publications

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

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USBC Updates

Celebrating New Rights for Lactating Parents: We're Going to Times Square!

In the most visible celebration of National Breastfeeding Month in USBC history, we are thrilled to announce that we will be featuring a dual video billboard advertisement in New York City's Times Square! The 15-second ad, created in partnership with A Better Balance, the American Civil Liberties Union, MomsRising, National WIC Association, and the Center for WorkLife Law, celebrates the passage of the PUMP Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. It will run four times hourly, 24 hours a day from August 20-26 on the NASDAQ and Mi5 billboards across from each other at 43rd Street and Broadway. The ad showcases consumer-friendly information on these essential new rights for parents accompanied by joyful images of new and expecting families and employees. If you are in or around NYC next week, we hope you will stop for a few minutes and snap some pictures to share with us and the world using the #NewRights4Parents hashtag! 

Celebrate National Breastfeeding Month By Making a Donation to the USBC

Give the gift of continued support by making a monthly donation to the USBC this National Breastfeeding Month. It's the generosity of our network that allows us to advocate for expanded workplace protections, paid leave, access to pasteurized human donor milk, and so much more. And the great news is that it's working! This year, the USBC went all the way to the White House to celebrate the decade-long effort to pass the PUMP Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), and as important as this legislation is, we know there is more work to do supporting babies and their families nationwide. Donate today!

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Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month

It is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week and Week 3 of National Breastfeeding Month! We invite you to join us as we take the time 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 and make a donation to help support critical USBC advocacy efforts. While the Weekly Wire generally does not include paid events, events occurring during National Breastfeeding Month are the exception to this rule. Highlights from the field include:

• AANHPI Caucus: The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee AANHPI Caucus is hosting a Lactation Community Forum on Friday, August 18, from 4-6 p.m. ET. During this open panel discussion, AANHPI community members will share their journeys to becoming lactation support professionals. The presentation will be followed by a discussion on how we can further build community capacity to support AANHPI families.
• AANHPI Breastfeeding Week Organizers: The AANHPI Breastfeeding Week organizers are hosting a coloring page contest to celebrate AANHPI Breastfeeding Week. Access the coloring pages.
• ASAP!: The Alameda County Asian, Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander (ASAP!) Breastfeeding Taskforce released the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Social Media Toolkit. The toolkit provides culturally appropriate lactation educational messages, available in 11 different AANHPI languages.
• DOL: The U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division is hosting a webinar titled, "Working Mothers: What to Expect When You're Expecting - Southeast Region" on Tuesday, August 22, at 1 p.m. ET. This free webinar will help working mothers understand workplace protections afforded by current law and how to talk to their employers and assert their rights. The webinar will also equip advocates with information to assist new and expecting mothers.
•  HCO: HealthConnect One is hosting a webinar titled, "National Breastfeeding Month Webinar: Strengthening Communities with First Food Equity (FFE)" on Wednesday, August 30, at 2 p.m. ET. This panel discussion will discuss the influence of the HealthConnect One First Food Equity (FFE) project in building community connections through breastfeeding and lactation support. 
•  pumpspotting: pumpspotting is holding the pumpspot challenge from August 4-31. The goal of this namesake challenge is to add as many new pumpspots as possible. Enter your spots for the chance to win a pumpspotting swag bag and a special Grand Prize. 

Local Events

•  BMBFA: The Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association is hosting its 11th annual Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Summit on Saturday, August 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET at the Sawyer Playground in Detroit, MI. The event features an informative mommy panel and a diverse range of exhibitors offering a wealth of breastfeeding knowledge and resources. 
• The BLACK Collaborative: The BLACK Collaborative, in partnership with Mercy Health, Southwest Ohio Breastfeeding Coalition (SWOBC), Racial & Health Equity LLC, and GirlTrek, is hosting the Maternal Health Collaborative Block Party on Saturday, August 26, from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET at Mercy Health Bond Hill in Cincinnati, OH. This event aims to provide support, education, and resources to Black pregnant and breastfeeding persons in Cincinnati. Enjoy a day of BBQ, music, games, breastfeeding, infant safety education opportunities, health exhibitions from Black grassroots organizations, Managed Care Providers, and Cincinnati Hospitals, Cincinnati Fire Department, and more. 

Breastfeeding Month Proclamations 

• Burien City, WA: The Burien City Council issued a proclamation on World Breastfeeding Week from August 1-7 in Burien City.
• City of Baker, LA: The Baker City Council issued a proclamation declaring August 2023 National Breastfeeding Month in the City of Baker.
• New Jersey: Governor Phil Murphy proclaimed August 2023 as Breastfeeding Month in New Jersey.
• Oklahoma City: Mayor David Holt proclaimed August as Breastfeeding Month in Oklahoma City.
• Thurston County, WA: Thurston County Board of Health proclaimed August to be National Breastfeeding Month.

NBM News & Views

• ALSC: "Libraries and Librarians Supporting Nursing Families"
•  California Breastfeeding Coalition: "AANHPI Breastfeeding Week 2023 Encourages Community to Keep Telling Their Stories"
• KSDK: "SSM Health DePaul Hospital receives prestigious designation just in time for National Breastfeeding Awareness Month"
•  Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition: "Maulian Bryant's Reflections on Breastfeeding"
• USAID: "Advancing Nutrition during World Breastfeeding Week 2023"
•  USLCA: "Celebrate the Indigenous Milk Medicine Collective's Work!"

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National News

 HMBANA Sign-On Letter On Timely Reimbursement Under the TRICARE Program

The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) is coordinating an organizational sign-on letter urging the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference committee to include language on timely reimbursement of donor human milk under the TRICARE program in the final NDAA. This language was included in the House version of the NDAA but not in the Senate version. TRICARE is the uniformed services health care program, which covers the cost of banked donor milk in cases where an infant has serious medical needs. However, both nonprofit milk banks and individual military families have endured extremely long waits for reimbursement so Congressional action is needed. The deadline for organizations to sign on is Thursday, August 31.

 WIC Breastfeeding Support Campaign Webinar

The Food and Nutrition Service is hosting the WIC Breastfeeding Support Campaign 2-day Webinar on Tuesday, August 29, from 1 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. ET and on Wednesday, August 30, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. Separate registration for each day of the webinar is required. This series of presentations aims to share lessons learned from the implementation of the “Learn Together. Grow Together.” breastfeeding support campaign and to share social media best practices, as well as other activities to promote breastfeeding.

 WIC Breastfeeding Support Articles Translated to Spanish

The Food and Nutrition Service released Spanish translations of the most popular lactation articles from the WIC Breastfeeding Support website. The resources include information related to storing and freezing breast milk, baby hunger cues, and the basics of breastfeeding.

 INFACT USA Survey on WHO Code Effectiveness

INFACT USA is launching a research study titled, "Surveying the Landscape of Breastmilk Substitute (BMS) Marketing Practices in Four Countries." The survey is designed to determine if the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (“WHO Code”) in countries around the world is effective in stopping WHO Code breaches and to determine if further steps are needed to reduce such breaches. Participants will be asked to take and upload photographs of examples of marketing of breastmilk substitutes. 

Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act Introduced

Representative Manning (D-NC-6) introduced the Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act (H.R. 4585). The bill would amend Social Security Act to provide a higher Federal matching rate for increased expenditures under Medicaid for maternal health care services, including those provided by breastfeeding and lactation educators or counselors.

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State & Community News

California Work and Family Coalition 2023 Virtual Advocacy Week

The California Work and Family Coalition is hosting the 2023 Virtual Advocacy Week from August 21 through August 25. The coalition is advocating for legislative priorities that would improve paid family leave, paid sick days, and other protections for California workers, parents, and caregivers. During Advocacy Week, there will be virtual meetings with legislators and their staff to make sure that they hear from you about why these laws are important to you and to your community.

 Maine Returning to Work Toolkit

The Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition and Let’s Go!, a program at MaineHealth Community Health, released the Returning to Work Toolkit. The toolkit hosts resources for breastfeeding and pumping parents, including a guide and sample return-to-work plan.

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Funding Opportunities

Caring for Colorado Foundation: "Public Policy Advocacy Grant." Application deadline: September 14.

 Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition: "Equity in Lactation Education Scholarship." 

Ms. Foundation: "Activist Collaboration & Care Fund Request for Proposals – Summer 2023." Application deadline: August 25.

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Learning Opportunities

 HMBANA 2024 International Donor Milk Conference: Call for Abstracts. Deadline: September 8.

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News & Views

 California Breastfeeding Coalition:

• "Advocates to Address Medi-Cal's Lactation Services Benefit"
• "Emerging Coalition Focuses on State's Native Residents"

HR Dive: "Lawsuit: USPS employees denied space to express breast milk, forced to pump in mail trucks"

SSIR: "Walking Through Truth: Indigenous Wisdom and Community Health Equity"

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Journal Publications

Breastfeeding Medicine: "Skin to Skin Contact Correlated with Improved Production and Consumption of Mother's Own Milk"

Frontiers in Public Health: "Global Lessons for Strengthening Breastfeeding as a Key Pillar of Food Security"