In the News Celebrate National Breastfeeding Month with WIC

Every August, the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee hosts #NationalBreastfeedingMonth to encourage families, communities, and organizations to come together for action and conversations about how we can build a stronger support network for breastfeeding parents! 

This year’s theme for #NBM2026 is RISE, which stands for: resilience, interdependence, self-determination, and empowerment! 🐦🔥

Weekly Themes Starting on August 1st through September 22nd 

August Weekly Observances 

August 1-7: WIC Breastfeeding Week

August 8-14: Indigenous Milk Medicine Week 

Theme: We Keep the Fires Lit: Rising Through Milk Medicine

August 15-21: AANHPI Breastfeeding Week 

Theme: Better Data, Better Care for AANHPI Families

August 22-24: Military Lactation Week 

August 25-31: Black Breastfeeding Week

Theme: We All We Got: 15 Years of Community, Care, and Collective Power

September Weekly Observances 

September 1-7: Workplace Lactation Week 

Theme: Work. Pump. Advance. Empowering the modern parent

September 8-14: Latina/Latinx Breastfeeding Week

September 16-22: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Breastfeeding Week

Watch Our Instagram Reels for Breastfeeding Tips and Stories from Breastfeeding Experts and Parents

National Breastfeeding Month 2025 - WIC Breastfeeding Support for Young Parents and Military Families 

On Wednesday, August 6th, 2025—the National WIC Association hosted an Instagram Live event offering a relaxed, conversational way to connect with WIC staff who have also been  participants in the program!

Our panelists for this conversation—Rachel August and Jehimy Benitez—shared their connection to WIC and what the National Breastfeeding Month theme, forward together, means to them while also providing insights on their experiences as a military breastfeeding parent and as a young parent getting involved with the WIC program. 

Topics covered during the event included: what advice would you give military families who are looking to get started with WIC, what would you share with young parents who want to connect with WIC, what tips or advice would you give a parent who is returning to work while breastfeeding or pumping, and more! 

Watch the Instagram Reel 

Read the Recap Blog Post 

Black Maternal Health Week 2026 - Advice from two International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and Breastfeeding Advocates in their Communities 

On Wednesday, April 15, 2026, the National WIC Association hosted an Instagram Live event on the WIC: You Got This! Instagram page to celebrate Black Maternal Health Week! This was an easygoing, conversational way to connect with Black maternal health and breastfeeding experts as well as fellow parents who tuned in from across the country. 

Our panelists for this conversation—Breanna Kuimi, IBCLC, CHN, and Micia Eddins, MPH, IBCLC, CD, CHW, CLS—shared their connection to WIC and personal breastfeeding stories while also providing insights on how they’re showing up in their communities through their businesses, Anew Life and J.O.B. Lactation. 

Topics covered during the event included: what being an IBCLC means to them, gaps that they are seeing in postpartum support for Black families, how partners can support their breastfeeding spouse, and more! 

Watch the Instagram Reel 

Watch the Post-Event Q+A with our Panelists 

Read the Recap Blog Post 

Coming Soon: This Year’s National Breastfeeding Month Instagram Live Event will Take Place on August 26! 

Join us for a special Instagram Live event on Wednesday, August 26, at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT as we celebrate #NationalBreastfeedingMonth! 

You’ll hear from WIC experts about how we can support your breastfeeding journey at home and on the go with resources like breastfeeding supplies, lactation support, nutritious foods, and health care referrals.

Mark your calendar, get comfy, and chat with us live on our Instagram, @WICYouGotThis. 

Get Breastfeeding Support with WIC

At WIC, we believe that no matter where you call home, breastfeeding parents have the right to respectful breastfeeding support. WIC offers a range of support services for breastfeeding families, including lactation experts like International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), breastfeeding peer support specialists, breast pumps and supplies, nutritious foods, and more. 

You don’t have to wait for the baby to arrive to access WIC! Did you know that you can access WIC benefits like healthy foods, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support as soon as you know that you’re pregnant? 

Here are 3 things you can do to prepare for breastfeeding before birth:

1. Talk with your doctor about breastfeeding: Ask if you have any health conditions that could make it more difficult.
2. Meet with a lactation consultant: WIC offers lactation support with experts like IBCLCs and peer support with breastfeeding peer counselors.
3. Get a breast pump or breastfeeding supplies: WIC can help provide you with supplies or support you with getting supplies through your health insurance provider.  

Getting started with WIC is worth it! See if you may be eligible for WIC benefits or find a clinic near you! 

Author

Mariah Cowsert

Mariah Cowsert is a Senior Communications Associate at the National WIC Association. She has 9 years of experience in public health communications, with her work ranging from direct social service and affordable housing organizations in DC and her home state of Michigan to supporting sexual and reproductive health education initiatives at a national nonprofit in Baltimore. As someone who grew up in a low-income household in rural Michigan, she knows firsthand that when families have access to quality, healthy foods regardless of their income or zip code, they can not only survive but thrive.