Weekly Wire: Staying Abreast: Local and Virtual Black Breastfeeding Week Events Happening TODAY & 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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Weekly Wire: Staying Abreast: Local and Virtual Black Breastfeeding Week Events Happening TODAY & more

8/31/2023

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Updated 2023 State & Territory Breastfeeding Reports
Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month
National News
- Webinar for Researchers Working With WIC
- Public Comment Opportunity on CODEX Standards
- Fact Sheet on Paid Family and Medical Leave for Lactating Workers
- Study on Birth Control and Lactation
State & Community News
- Data Brief on PRAMS Data and Social Determinants of Health in Maine
Funding Opportunities
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

Updated 2023 State & Territory Breastfeeding Reports

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee released an updated version of the 2023 California, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Ohio State Breastfeeding Reports, now featuring an expanded list of breastfeeding coalitions serving each state. Developed for each of the 50 states, DC, and four U.S. territories, the USBC State & Territory Breastfeeding Reports compare breastfeeding rates and other measures against national levels. The comprehensive reports shed a light on the policy, system, and environmental factors that impact infant feeding outcomes and feature a description of the state and community-based projects made possible through federal funding in 2021 and 2022.

Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month

It's Black Breastfeeding Week and Week 4 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:

BFFC: Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities is hosting a virtual meet and greet titled, "Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities for a Virtual After Party!" on Wednesday, September 20, at 2 p.m. ET.
CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refreshed the feature article, "Breastfeeding Benefits Both Baby and Mom" for National Breastfeeding Month. This feature provides an overview of the numerous benefits of breastfeeding for both moms and babies.
Latina/x Breastfeeding Week: The Latina/x Breastfeeding Week organizers are hosting the virtual "Latina/x Breastfeeding Week Celebration Launch" on Tuesday, September 5, at 1 p.m. ET. The celebration will kick off with story-sharing to honor the resiliency of the Latino community.
LLLI: La Leche League International released a new on-demand webinar, "Bias and Breastfeeding," as part of their webinar library. The webinar is free to the public through Thursday, August 31, in observance of Black Breastfeeding Week.
MHLIC/ROSE: This Black Breastfeeding Week, the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center and Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) are hosting a webinar, "Update on New CDC HIV and Breastfeeding Guidelines," on Thursday, August 31, at 1 p.m. ET. The webinar features a discussion on clinical approaches for supporting families with the updated CDC guidelines on Breastfeeding and HIV.
Nourish & Thrive: In celebration of Black Breastfeeding Week, Nourish & Thrive is hosting a virtual Baby & Me Yoga Class on Thursday, August 31, at 6:45 p.m. ET.
ROSE: Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) is hosting an event, "Black Breastfeeding Week Webinar: Discussing the Impact of Predatory Marketing of Formula on Black Communities," on Thursday, August 31, at 12 p.m. ET. Leaders in the field will discuss the impact of exploitive marketing practices and tactics used by infant formula companies to engage parents and healthcare workers and will share insights and culturally-informed strategies to ensure Black families are prepared and supported to make informed infant feeding decisions.

Local Events

MIOP: The Maternal Infant Outreach Program is hosting an event, "Let's Talk About Chocolate Milk and Paint with MIOP," on Thursday, August 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT at the Carver Branch of the Austin Public Library in Austin, TX. The event features a community dialogue of moms sharing their lived experiences in breastfeeding and more. Activities for children, community resources, raffles, and light appetizers will be provided.
WE Baby Collective: WE Baby Collective is hosting a community breastfeeding class, "Breastfeeding, Keeping It Real," on Thursday, August 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. CT at the Martin Regional Library in Tulsa, OK. The event is in celebration of Black Breastfeeding Week and will provide information about milk production, preparing for breastfeeding after birth, returning to work, pumping, and more. This is a kick-off event to grow a monthly breastfeeding group.

Breastfeeding Proclamations

Dayton: Mayor Jeffrey Mims, Jr. issued a proclamation in recognition of Black Breastfeeding Week in Dayton, OH.

NBM News & Views

Apple Podcasts: "Thrivin' In Color: Black Breastfeeding Week: Disparities Among Black Women With Dr. Kimarie Bugg"
ASTHO: "492: Breastfeeding Equity, TFAH's New Podcast"
Baby Milk Action: "Summer update – WBW – Global Congress"
California Breastfeeding Coalition: "Latina/x Breastfeeding Week Begins Sept. 5"
NACCHO: "Breastfeeding, Nutrition, and Partner Involvement"
PIX11: "Black Breastfeeding Week highlights racial disparity in breastfeeding rates"
Queen City News: "Lactation consultant raises awareness for Black Breastfeeding week"

National News

Webinar for Researchers Working With WIC

Healthy Eating Research and the National WIC Association are hosting a webinar, "Working with WIC: An Introduction to the National WIC Association Applied Research Framework," on Tuesday, September 19, at 2 p.m. ET. The webinar is designed for researchers who are working with WIC. With funding from Healthy Eating Research, the National WIC Association has created an Applied Research Framework to help researchers plan, communicate, execute, and disseminate research related to WIC. This webinar will provide an overview of the framework and new resources researchers can use to plan research to inform policy and practice.

USBC Insight: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program promotes and supports breastfeeding as an important part of the nutrition service benefits to meet its mission of safeguarding the health of low-income women, infants, and children. WIC provides breastfeeding support by offering lactation consultants, peer counselors, and food packages with more food to help families breastfeed successfully. All WIC staff are trained to promote breastfeeding and provide the necessary support for breastfeeding families. WIC state and local agencies are required by WIC program regulations to create policies and procedures to ensure breastfeeding assistance is provided throughout the prenatal and postpartum period.

Public Comment Opportunity on CODEX Standards

The U.S. Codex Office published a public comment opportunity: "International Standard-Setting Activities." The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is a joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Food Standards Program that formulates voluntary international standards, codes of practice, guidelines and codes of practice that constitute the Codex Alimentarius. The Codex Alimentarius, or "Food Code," is the preeminent international food standards-setting body that protects the health of consumers and ensures fair practices in the food trade. In the United States, the U.S. Codex Office engages stakeholders in the development and advancement of science-based food standards to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade worldwide. This notice seeks comments on standards under consideration and recommendations for new standards, including the Revised Standard for Follow-up Formula (renamed as the Standard for Follow-up Formula for Older Infants and Product for Young Children). The deadline to submit comments is Friday, October 13.

Fact Sheet on Paid Family and Medical Leave for Lactating Workers

A Better Balance released a fact sheet: "The Importance of Paid Family and Medical Leave for Young Breastfeeding & Lactating Workers." The resource outlines how paid leave can support lactating parents, the particular barriers young parents face to breastfeeding and accessing paid leave, and the importance of a national paid leave program.

Study on Birth Control and Lactation

The MILK Research Lab is conducting a study titled the "Contraception, Human Milk, And Research Mechanisms (CHARM) Study." The study is focused on examining the impact of contraceptive use on lactation. The Lab is currently recruiting US-based, healthcare providers and workers (e.g., lactation support providers, doulas, birthworkers, midwives, physicians, APRNs, nurses, etc.), who provide contraceptive counseling to complete the brief survey.

State & Community News

Data Brief on PRAMS Data and Social Determinants of Health in Maine

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services published a report: "Measuring Social Determinants of Health of Perinatal and Infant Health in Maine." The data brief examines Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data (2016-2020) to demonstrate the use and limitations of PRAMS in measuring the Social Determinants of Health of perinatal health in Maine, including breastfeeding initiation and continuation.