Governor Stein Proclaims World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, breastfeeding is a critical public health strategy identified by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and many others for improving infant and maternal health outcomes, reducing morbidity and mortality, and fostering lifelong health benefits; and

Whereas, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is available in all 100 counties and provides access to healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and encouragement for pregnant women and mothers and families with young children; and

Whereas, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) launched BreastfeedNC.com, a website dedicated to providing comprehensive information and resources to support mothers and families across North Carolina who are interested in breastfeeding; and

Whereas, the NCDHHS Division of Child and Family Well-Being has developed sustainable breastfeeding support initiatives, including universal training for staff working with WIC to ensure consistent, evidence-based messaging for the program’s 250,000 participants in North Carolina, while also promoting best practices through the North Carolina Maternity Center Breastfeeding-Friendly Designation and the North Carolina Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Designation, which recognize facilities that support breastfeeding from birth through early childhood; and

Whereas, the NCDHHS Division of Public Health (DPH), in collaboration with community partners, has prioritized strengthening breastfeeding support systems by increasing the number of donor milk depots, ensuring access to life-saving donor milk for medically fragile infants; DPH integrates breastfeeding initiatives within programs under the Maternal Health and Infant & Community Health branches, ensuring that pregnant and postpartum women served by local health departments and nonprofit community organizations have multiple avenues to access lactation education and support – removing barriers related to cost, accessibility, and resources to promote breastfeeding success; and

Whereas, the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition has demonstrated grassroots leadership by providing critical volunteer support for infant and young child feeding during emergencies, offering vital education and resources to ensure the safety and well-being of infants during times of crisis; and

Whereas, North Carolina joins the global community in celebrating World Breastfeeding Week 2025 under the theme, “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” reaffirming our commitment to building lasting infrastructures that empower families and communities to achieve breastfeeding success;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim August 1-7, 2025, as “World Breastfeeding Week” in North Carolina and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this twenty-third day of August in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.