The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2019 is “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.” The logo says it all. Parents are at the center of their infants’ lives, offering love and protection. But they cannot do so alone. Behind the parents are others—family, friends, health care providers, religious communities, work places—each of whom has a role in empowering parents to support their babies. This is accomplished in so many ways.
The objectives of World Breastfeeding Week 2019 are:
- Inform people about the links between gender equitable parental social protection and breastfeeding
- Anchor parent friendly values and gender equitable social norms at all levels to support breastfeeding
- Engage with individuals and organizations for greater impact
- Galvanize action on gender equitable parental social protection to advance breastfeeding
Milk banking and donor milk are among the figures standing behind the new family. How do we empower parents? How do we enable breastfeeding? What is our role in empowering, anchoring, engaging, and galvanizing? Who are our partners in this work? In the U.S., we celebrate National Breastfeeding Month in August, including Black Breastfeeding Week August 25-31. We will take the opportunity in blog posts this month to explore our role in empowering parents and enabling breastfeeding.
Week 1: Partnering to empower parents and enable breastfeeding
Week 2: Empowering parents, enabling breastfeeding for premature babies
Week 3: The role of culture in empowerment to enable breastfeeding
Week 4: Leveling the playing field: Addressing disparities in breastfeeding
Thank you for joining us.
