World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a global campaign coordinated by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). Recognized as one of the largest collaborative initiatives of its kind, WBW is supported by major international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the numerous benefits of breastfeeding for infants, mothers, and communities.

Since its launch in 1991, WBW has been celebrated annually in approximately 120 countries. In 2016, it became officially aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting its relevance in advancing global health and development. While most countries observe WBW from August 1–7, others may commemorate it in May, October, or November, depending on national health priorities and calendar planning.

To learn more about how you can participate in WABA’s advocacy efforts, visit www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.

GFCNI’s Commitment to World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week 2026 social media graphic with the slogan "Protect and Promote Breastfeeding for the Best Start in Life", featuring mothers breastfeeding and providing Kangaroo Mother Care in different settings. — Visual with the GFCNI campaign slogan showing diverse mothers practicing Kangaroo Mother Care.

GFCNI is proud to support and take part in World Breastfeeding Week with its own dedicated campaign under the slogan "Protect and Promote Breastfeeding for the Best Start in Life."

While we champion breastfeeding for every newborn, our focus remains on the most vulnerable infants – preterm babies and newborns requiring intensive medical care. These infants often face additional challenges that can interfere with breastfeeding, making targeted support not only essential but lifesaving.

Through awareness, advocacy, and global collaboration, we work to ensure that every baby – regardless of their circumstances – has the opportunity to benefit from the power of breastmilk.

We invite you to join GFCNI’s 2026 social media campaign! Download the material and use it for your own social media posts. Tag us @gfcni on Facebook, @gfcni_newborn on Instagram and @GFCNI – Global Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants on LinkedIn, and use #BreastfeedingIsAJourney and #WBW2026 to help us find and like your posts.

Strengthen What Works: How Kangaroo Mother Care Can Support Breastfeeding

Graphic showing a mother practicing Kangaroo Mother Care through skin-to-skin contact with her newborn, with the text: "Strengthen What Works: Kangaroo Mother Care. Proven to Support Breastfeeding from the Start." — Visual promoting Kangaroo Mother Care as a way to support breastfeeding from the start.

Breastfeeding can be especially challenging when a baby is born preterm, has a low birth weight, or requires care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This year's GFCNI World Breastfeeding Week campaign highlights Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) as an evidence-based care model that can help overcome many of these challenges while supporting babies and their families.

KMC combines early, continuous, and prolonged skin-to-skin contact with breastfeeding support to create the conditions that promote successful breastfeeding.

The benefits of KMC for breastfeeding:

Promotes feeding readiness:
KMC helps babies stay warm, supports stable breathing and heart rate, reduces stress, and creates the conditions they need to begin feeding successfully.
Encourages breastfeeding:
Close skin-to-skin contact helps babies recognize their parents' smell and voice and naturally seek the breast when they are ready to feed.
Supports mothers:
KMC can stimulate milk production, strengthen confidence, reduce stress, promote bonding, and support longer breastfeeding duration.

By promoting closeness and reducing unnecessary separation, KMC allows breastfeeding to develop more naturally, even when babies are born preterm or require specialized medical care.

At GFCNI, we believe that #BreastfeedingIsAJourney, and that every mother deserves the encouragement to find the path that works best for her and her baby. To truly protect and promote breastfeeding, every family should have access to high-quality breastfeeding support and evidence-based, family-centered care. By strengthening access to and implementation of KMC, we can help ensure that every baby gets the best possible start in life.

Social Media Toolkit

World Breastfeeding Week 2026 social media graphic with the slogan "Protect and Promote Breastfeeding for the Best Start in Life" in English, featuring mothers breastfeeding and providing Kangaroo Mother Care in different settings. — Social media graphic with the GFCNI World Breastfeeding Week campaign slogan showing diverse mothers practicing Kangaroo Mother Care.

Download our editable social media graphic template, add your logo, and join our World Breastfeeding Week campaign.

Together, we can help protect and promote breastfeeding, raise awareness of Kangaroo Mother Care, and help ensure every newborn receives the best start in life!

Please note:

This template is intended solely to support awareness activities during World Breastfeeding Week. It must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes, including advertising or endorsing breast milk substitutes, infant feeding products, or related commercial goods. Thank you for using our templates responsibly.

Illustrated factsheet titled "Breastfeeding a preterm baby" with infographic and expert quotes. — Illustrated factsheet promoting breastfeeding for preterm babies with guidance and expert insights.

Looking for a quick and practical guide to breastfeeding a preterm infant? Download our comprehensive factsheet, now available in English, German, and Romanian.

This easy-to-read resource covers essential topics to support families during the neonatal period and beyond. Learn more about:

Why a mother’s own milk is the optimal nutrition for preterm babies
The health benefits of breastfeeding for both preterm infants and their mothers
How feeding abilities develop in preterm newborns over time
The unique nutritional needs of preterm babies and the role of milk fortification
Important considerations for discharge and preparing for the transition home

It Takes a Village: Together for Breastfeeding Support

Mothers of preterm and hospitalized newborns often face additional challenges when it comes to establishing and maintaining breastfeeding. In addition to the emotional toll of having a baby in neonatal care, they may need to express milk before their baby can breastfeed directly. They must also navigate complex medical situations and adapt to an unexpected start to parenthood. These circumstances make timely information, practical guidance, and compassionate support especially important.

Protecting and promoting breastfeeding is a shared responsibility. No mother should have to navigate this journey alone. Having a strong warm chain of support – including partners, family, friends, healthcare professionals, and peer supporters – can make all the difference for a good start.

Infographic showing a partner supporting a breastfeeding mother in a NICU setting, with practical tips on how partners can be involved. — Infographic showing how partners can support NICU mothers with breastfeeding.

Having a supportive partner is extremely important for every breastfeeding mother, especially those with a baby in the NICU. Partners can:

Share the mental and emotional load.
Wash the breast pump parts and help her track feedings.
Make sure she gets some sleep.
Snuggle their baby while she rests.
Bring her nourishing food and drinks.
Hold her hand, and be her loudest cheerleader when she’s feeling doubtful.
Simply be there for her.

Infographic showing family members or friends helping with chores while mother breastfeeds, with practical tips on how family and friends can be involved. — Infographic offering tips to family and friends on how to help breastfeeding mothers and their families.

Supportive family and friends can be an enormously important source of emotional support. They can best help by providing practical assistance with everyday tasks:

Cook, clean, and care for older siblings.
Offer a calm presence and gentle words.
Respect the mother’s feeding choices.
Encourage her with kindness and trust.

Important: Please always ask how you can best help. The needs of every mother and family can vary.

Illustration of NICU setting with mother breastfeeding and healthcare staff offering support. — Infographic illustrating how hospitals and NICUs can support breastfeeding mothers and their newborns.

A successful breastfeeding journey often starts in the hospital. Providing baby-friendly, family-centered care helps families feel supported and empowered. For example:

Promoting early skin-to-skin contact (immediate Kangaroo Mother Care).
Encouraging 24/7 parental presence in the NICU.
Supporting the early use of colostrum.
Helping mothers initiate and maintain milk production through comprehensive lactation support.
Offering private pumping spaces and access to human donor milk.

Infographic showing a mother with her baby and a lactation consultant, with tips how HCPs and lactation consultants can support breastfeeding NICU mothers. — Infographic outlining the role of lactation consultants and healthcare professionals in breastfeeding success.

The support of healthcare professionals and lactation consultants is invaluable. Their evidence-based guidance may include the following:

Helping mothers initiate milk expression early.
Assisting with pumping, latching, and different feeding methods.
Providing compassionate emotional support.

Tailoring their guidance to each baby’s medical needs and developmental stage ensures that every family feels seen, respected, and cared for.

Infographic showing two mothers sharing support while holding their babies, with tips how peer support groups can help breastfeeding mothers. — Infographic highlighting the value of peer support groups for mothers breastfeeding in the NICU.

Peer support groups can among others show NICU families that they are not alone with their journey. They can for example:

Share their own story and coping strategies.
Normalize feelings of guilt, grief, and exhaustion.
Create a space of confidence and connection that extends beyond the hospital.

Transparency

All content in the “World Breastfeeding Week” campaign was independently developed by GFCNI and reviewed by external experts for medical accuracy. The campaign is powered by GFCNI.

We extend our sincere thanks to the following medical societies for their valuable collaboration and support of this campaign.