Governor Whitmer declares August as Breastfeeding Month

Michigan is committed to building a strong foundation for lifelong health by supporting breastfeeding as both a personal choice and a critical public health priority. As part of this effort, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared August 2026 as Breastfeeding Month.

Breastfeeding Month also includes the following observances that celebrate and support breastfeeding across diverse communities:

• Aug. 1-7: World Breastfeeding Week.
• Aug. 8-14: Indigenous Milk Medicine Week.
• Aug. 15-21: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week.
• Aug. 22-24: Military Lactation Celebration.
• Aug. 25-31: Black Breastfeeding Week.
• Sept. 1-7: Workplace Lactation Week.
• Sept. 8-14: Latina/x Breastfeeding Week (Semana de La Lactancia Latina).
• Sept. 16-22: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Breastfeeding Week.

"Breastfeeding Month is an opportunity to recognize the important role breastfeeding can play in supporting the health and well-being of mothers and infants," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. "Every family deserves access to accurate information, skilled lactation support and community resources that help them meet their infant feeding goals. By working together to reduce barriers and expand support across Michigan, we can help more families get the care and encouragement they need."

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. The AAP additionally supports continued breastfeeding past this point, along with appropriate complementary foods, as long as mutually desired for 2 years or beyond. Breast milk provides numerous health benefits for infants, including a decrease in the risk of respiratory and ear infections, gastrointestinal infections, necrotizing enterocolitis, sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, atopic dermatitis, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and certain childhood cancers. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, postpartum depression and cardiovascular disease for the breastfeeding woman - conditions that disproportionately affect Black, Brown and Indigenous people.

According to the World Health Organization, optimal breastfeeding practices could save the lives of more than 820,000 children under the age of five each year. Although approximately 87% of Michigan families start breastfeeding, the difference between white non-Hispanic initiation (90.3%) and Black, non-Hispanic initiation (78.6%) reflects systemic barriers that impact families of color. Additionally, limited access to support in and out of the health care system, lack of access to affordable, high-quality childcare and insufficient paid work leave further contribute to lower breastfeeding duration rates.

Michigan is working to remove these barriers and expand support through several initiatives:

• Educating health care providers on breastfeeding benefits and the history of lactation for Black families.
• Expanding access to breastfeeding support, including online resources and bedside, doula-led support.
• Partnering with and funding local and regional breastfeeding organizations.
• Increasing access to childcare by expanding the workforce and improving compensation.
• Providing breastfeeding education opportunities for clinicians and community-based organizations.

Michigan's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is celebrating National Breastfeeding Month with the theme, "Rooting for You." WIC supports breastfeeding families by offering:

• Free, unlimited access to lactation consultants and peer counselors via telehealth, phone or in-person visits.
• Lactation training for all WIC staff to ensure consistent, knowledgeable support.
• A breastfeeding warmline available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at 833-MIWICBF (833-649-4223).

For more information on events and activities in Michigan for Breastfeeding Month, visit the Michigan Breastfeeding Network website.