How Will You Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week?

The month of August is World Breastfeeding Month, an international campaign to raise awareness, educate, advocate, and support women around the world in getting breastmilk to their babies. Here in the US, we've been excited by the rise of breastfeeding awareness. 

Since we became mothers, we've seen legislation guaranteeing women a private space to pump their breastmilk as well as guaranteed time in their work day to do so. We've seen insurance companies cover breastpumps for all new mothers. These advancements are huge!

But we have so far to go--we still have postpartum nurses telling new mothers incorrect information that derails breastfeeding. We still have pediatricians and physicians who are unaware that many medications are safely compatible with breastfeeding. 

We still have grave health disparities among US racial and ethnic groups andaccording to the CDC, "Black infants consistently had the lowest rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration across all study years. Black mothers may need more, targeted support to start and continue breastfeeding."

So! In preparation for World Breastfeeding Week, we'd like to help offer this targeted support to begin and continue breastfeeding. Here in Pittsburgh, we can refer women of color to the wonderfully supportive Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle. This is a closed facebook group for online support that also includes in-person monthly meetings.

Nationally, we can direct women of color to Black Women Do Breastfeed, who work to make the community of Black breastfeeding women visible.

And of course, we will continue to offer all breastfeeding women a wide selection of nursing bras and tanks. We have styles and sizes to fit every budget and every body. 

How will you be celebrating World Breastfeeding Week (or month)? Leave us a comment to share your ideas.