Moms and babies gather for World Breastfeeding Week celebration

Baby strollers lined the walls leading to the entrance of the Lorusso Conference Center at Cape Cod Hospital on August 7, 2026, as mothers and their babies arrived to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week.

More than 35 moms and their babies filled the room to celebrate accomplishments, friendships and the support they receive through the breastfeeding support groups provided by The Family Birthplace at Cape Cod Hospital.

Holding a baby as she walked around the room welcoming participants, Heather Lakatos, RN, IBCLC, BSN, could not stop smiling. Lakatos is a lactation consultant who co-leads breastfeeding groups with Diane Robertson-Milliken, BSN, RN, IBCLC.

"It's so exciting to see everybody come together," Lakatos said. "That is really the intent behind continuing to build our program [at the Family Birthplace]. This is so empowering for moms!"

World Breastfeeding Week was started in 1992 and commemorates the 1990 Innocenti Declaration by the WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

The annual celebration takes place the first week in August and the 2026 theme was "Breastfeeding for a sustainable start in life: strengthen what works." The global celebration is coordinated and organized by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA).

The Support that Continues to Give

This year's overall theme rings true for Colleen Schofield and her 4-month-old son, Cameron, who are part of the weekly breastfeeding support group.

"I like being able to check his weight every week to make sure he continues to grow as he should," said Schofield. "The lactation consultant has been very helpful with any issues we have. We've made many friends; we get together and also go for walks. Having their support has been very helpful."

Another mom, Maura Dipilatto, has donated 1,122 ounces of breast milk to the Milk Depot at Cape Cod Hospital and will be donating 800 ounces more, that is stored in a freezer at home.

"With my previous child, I overproduced breast milk, and I had heard about the milk bank at that time," said Dipilatto holding her 6-month-old son, Rhett. "When I joined the Tuesday morning breastfeeding class again this time, I knew I was overproducing and wasn't going to be able to use all my milk. The lactation consultant told me about the Mothers Milk Bank Northeast and so I contacted them. I did the screening and they told me I could drop off my milk here at the hospital. It makes me feel really good to help. My husband and I both keep track of the number of ounces stored and it's fulfilling to know we're helping other mothers with their babies."

Breast milk overproduction is having an oversupply of milk when you produce large volumes of milk, Lakatos explained. The Milk Depot at Cape Cod Hospital works with the Mothers Northeast Milk Bank. All the donated breast milk gets pasteurized and distributed to New England hospitals for the sickest babies and the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) first and then to hospitals for well-baby nurseries for babies whose mothers are breastfeeding but may need supplementation for medical reasons.

"Breast milk donations for our well-baby nursery at Cape Cod Hospital is also something we are working on and hope to have in place by the end of this year," said Lakatos.

Encouraging Moms to Take Care of Themselves

Tara Crowley, an energy healer and reiki master who provided individual massages for moms during the celebration, also led the group through a mindfulness experience in addition to teaching them box breathing, a technique to calm the nervous system.

"Mindfulness is being present in the moment," said Crowley. "A lot of times when we have our babies around us, life can get a little bit crazy and the best and simplest thing we can do is take a deep breath. The calmer we are, the calmer our babies will be."

She added, "Love is not perfection. All you have to do is love your baby and that is the bottom line. Everything else will fall into place."

The guest speaker, Rosetta Windle, a birth and postpartum doula, talked about the importance of mothers taking care of themselves, gathering as women and sharing their experiences of motherhood.

"It is so important to gather as women and share our experiences, because we are living in a time where there is so much information and advice that can be overwhelming, she said. "Slowing down and coming together is the medicine we really need. Whether it is your first baby or your fifth baby, it is so crucial to have that connection with women and share the real stuff."

"Life can be messy; it doesn't have to be perfect. Be kind to yourself."

As the celebration continued with refreshments, many moms took advantage of the massages given by Crowley and Brenda Hines, a massage therapist and maternity nurse. Others lined up for the footprints card-making station, hosted by Alissa Krieger-DeWitt, RN, CCH childbirth educator. Moms could get a beautiful card imprinted with their baby's footprints to take home.

More information about joining a Cape Cod Healthcare breastfeeding support group or for an outpatient lactation appointment is available by calling 508-862-7266.

Information about the VNA of Cape Cod prenatal and postpartum clinical services is available by calling 508-957-7423.