Observed throughout August, National Breastfeeding Month aims to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding by raising awareness of its health benefits and addressing the barriers to lactation care.

The theme for 2026 “RISE: Resilience, Interdependence, Self-Determination, Empowerment” underscores the collective strength of the breastfeeding community and advocates for meaningful policy and systems reforms to support families.

Breastfeeding has long been known to provide substantial health benefits for both infants and mothers. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Infants have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, ear infections, gastrointestinal illness, and sudden infant death syndrome,
• Mothers have reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes,
• Breast milk adapts to meet an infant’s nutritional needs and provides antibodies that strengthen immunity.

While these benefits are well documented, what often overlooked are the disparities in maternal and infant health care experienced by women of color. Systemic barriers that include limited access to lactation support, cultural insensitivity in health care, and socioeconomic struggles can impede women of color from receiving the education and resources necessary to overcome common breastfeeding challenges.

At Whittier Street Health Center we are committed to addressing these disparities in our community through culturally appropriate health education and equitable access to high quality care. Our Women’s Health Services includes pre-natal and post-natal care at 1290 Tremont Street in Roxbury. Our Roxbury and South-End Women Infants and Children Program provide supplemental food, health care and social service referrals and nutrition education to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding post-partum, non-breast-feeding post-partum women, infants and children up to five years of age who are found to be at nutrition risk.

For more information, please call (617)-989-3129.