World Breastfeeding Week runs August 1–7, 2027, a global push to protect and support breastfeeding. Health agencies, hospitals and parent groups use it to share advice and ask for better support at work and at home. A global breastfeeding network called WABA started it in 1992.
August 1 to 7, Every Year
Every August, from the 1st through the 7th. Because the dates never move, the starting weekday shifts from one year to the next.
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, known as WABA, coordinates it. The World Health Organization and UNICEF publish their own messages for the week too.
Themes change annually, and each partner may word its own. For 2026, WHO used “Breastfeeding for a sustainable start in life: strengthen what works.”
From a 1990 Declaration
Its roots go back to the Innocenti Declaration, signed on August 1, 1990, at a meeting held by WHO and UNICEF. The week’s August start honors that date.
WABA, a nonprofit network based in Penang, Malaysia, held its first meeting in New York in February 1991. That’s where the idea of a yearly week came up.
About 70 countries took part when it began in 1992, a 2011 history in a Brazilian health journal says. More than 150 now register.
Since 2016, WABA has tied each campaign to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Its 2026 campaign looks at breastfeeding’s effect on nutrition, food security and poverty.
Hashtag #WBW2026 marked the third cycle of that SDG-linked series, which tracks progress over several years.
Why It Matters
Globally, rates still have room to grow. Only 48% of babies under 6 months old are exclusively breastfed, WHO reported in 2025.
America’s numbers look strong at the start and drop off later. Among babies born in 2023, 86.1% were ever breastfed, CDC survey data show.
By 6 months, 62.8% were still breastfeeding, and 29.8% had been breastfed exclusively. At 12 months, the share was 40.8%.
Support works, WHO’s 2026 evidence shows. Skilled feeding counseling raised exclusive breastfeeding rates by 58% across 16 studies.
Hospitals play a part too. In studies of 15,096 newborns, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative was linked to a 45% rise in exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months.
Workplaces and laws count as well. A review of 35 studies found paid maternity leave linked to a 52% increase in exclusive breastfeeding.
Marketing rules matter too. Countries whose laws follow the international code on formula marketing average 54% exclusive breastfeeding, versus 24% in countries with no such laws.
Mass media helps when it’s paired with real support. Campaigns combined with counseling and community outreach lifted exclusive breastfeeding by 17% across 16 studies.
Ways to Help
Help doesn’t have to come from parents alone. Partners, employers and friends all shape whether breastfeeding works out.
Employers can make the biggest difference. Paid leave and a private place to pump help parents keep going after they return to work.
- Ask your workplace whether it has a private, clean space for pumping.
- Offer a new parent practical help, such as a meal or an hour of babysitting.
- Share the contact for a local lactation consultant or support group.
- Read WHO’s or WABA’s materials for this year’s theme.
- Thank the nurses and counselors who help new families in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who organizes World Breastfeeding Week?
A coalition of breastfeeding advocates, backed by UN health agencies.
Is it only for mothers?
No. Partners, families and employers are a big focus.
Why does it start on August 1?
It honors the anniversary of a landmark global breastfeeding declaration.
Does the theme change each year?
Yes, and campaign materials are posted ahead of August.