Rose Mabiza

02-08-2023

World Breastfeeding Week 2025

Image by StiahailoAnastasiia via Envato Elements

Supporting mothers, strengthening communities, and driving organisational change

Every year, from 1-7 August, the world comes together to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. Organised by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) in collaboration with UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and countless advocacy partners, this annual campaign aims to highlight the critical role breastfeeding plays in promoting the health and well-being of both infants and mothers.

But World Breastfeeding Week isn’t just about individual choices – it’s about creating systems, policies, and environments where breastfeeding can thrive. For highly regulated organisations like those in healthcare, social care, education, and public services, this week is a powerful reminder: supporting breastfeeding isn’t optional. It’s a compliance requirement, a workforce issue, and a public health priority.

In this blog, Rose Mabiza, we’ll explore the why, what, and how of World Breastfeeding Week - defining key terms, unpacking its practical implications for regulated organisations, and showing how we can collectively create meaningful change.

What is World Breastfeeding Week?

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) was first launched in 1992 by WABA and has since grown into a global movement. Its purpose? To promote, protect, and support breastfeeding as the foundation of lifelong health.

Each year, WBW adopts a theme that addresses emerging priorities. In 2025, the focus is on “Empowering Parents, Strengthening Systems” - a call to action for governments, workplaces, and service providers to create enabling environments for breastfeeding.

Why does this matter? Because breastfeeding isn’t just a private act between a mother and child. It is a public health intervention backed by overwhelming evidence:

• Health benefits for infants - Breast milk provides optimal nutrition, strengthens the immune system, reduces the risk of infections, and lowers the incidence of chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes.
• Health benefits for mothers - Breastfeeding lowers the risk of postpartum depression, breast and ovarian cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
• Economic and societal benefits - It reduces healthcare costs, decreases absenteeism in workplaces, and supports gender equity by enabling women to balance family and work responsibilities.

The global and UK context - Why it still matters

Despite strong evidence and advocacy, breastfeeding rates remain lower than recommended in many countries, including the UK.

• According to NHS Digital, while 81% of mothers in England start breastfeeding, only 48% continue beyond six to eight weeks.
• The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life – yet only 1 in 3 infants globally receive this.

These gaps aren’t just about personal choice – they are deeply influenced by systemic barriers such as:

• Insufficient workplace support - Many working mothers lack access to breastfeeding breaks, private spaces, or flexible schedules.
• Cultural and societal pressures - Misconceptions and stigma can make breastfeeding in public or in professional spaces difficult.
• Inadequate education and support - Without the right information and encouragement, many parents struggle to continue breastfeeding.

This is where regulated organisations play a transformative role.

Why should highly regulated organisations care?

For healthcare, education, and social care providers, supporting breastfeeding isn’t just a moral responsibility - it’s part of regulatory compliance and quality care delivery.

1. Regulatory expectations

In the UK, regulatory bodies like the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted emphasise the need for inclusive, person-centred care. Supporting new mothers – whether they are patients, staff members, or service users – is integral to achieving good or outstanding ratings.

2. Workforce retention and equality

Organisations that actively support breastfeeding mothers report improved retention rates, greater employee satisfaction, and reduced absenteeism. In regulated environments facing workforce shortages, providing lactation-friendly policies is not just compassionate – it’s strategic.

3. Health and safety

Employers are legally required under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure the welfare of all employees, including breastfeeding mothers. This includes conducting risk assessments, providing suitable facilities, and creating safe environments for expressing milk.

4. Public health responsibility

Healthcare and social care providers are at the forefront of delivering public health interventions. By embedding breastfeeding education, support, and advocacy into their services, they help address health inequalities and improve long-term community outcomes.

Practical ways organisations can support breastfeeding

World Breastfeeding Week provides a timely opportunity for organisations to review and strengthen their policies. Here are some actionable steps:

1. Create a breastfeeding-friendly workplace

• Provide private, hygienic spaces for expressing and storing milk (not toilets)
• Offer flexible breaks for breastfeeding or expressing
• Ensure line managers are trained to support returning mothers without discrimination.

2. Embed breastfeeding support in services

• For healthcare providers - Ensure staff are trained to provide evidence-based advice and support to new mothers
• For education and social care services - Integrate breastfeeding awareness into parenting programmes and family support initiatives.

3. Strengthen policies and procedures

• Review organisational policies to ensure they align with NHS and WHO recommendations
• Use compliance tools like ComplyPlus™ to manage policy updates, conduct audits, and monitor compliance with workplace and care standards.

4. Promote awareness and education

• Host awareness sessions for staff during World Breastfeeding Week
• Display clear signage indicating that your organisation is breastfeeding-friendly
• Provide access to resources from trusted organisations like the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative and the NHS Start4Life.

5. Collaborate with external partners

• Partner with local health visitors, midwives, and community organisations to provide wraparound support for families.
• Share best practices across your sector to improve collective impact.

Beyond awareness - Building lasting change

While awareness weeks are valuable for sparking conversations, the real work lies in sustained action. For highly regulated organisations, this means embedding breastfeeding support into everyday operations, governance systems, and workplace culture.

This isn’t just about ticking compliance boxes - it’s about creating safe, inclusive environments where staff and service users feel supported. By doing so, organisations can improve health outcomes, enhance staff well-being, and demonstrate their commitment to the communities they serve.

In this blog, Rose Mabiza, we’ll explore the why, what, and how of World Breastfeeding Week - defining key terms, unpacking its practical implications for regulated organisations, and showing how we can collectively create meaningful change.

Take action - Build awareness and drive change

At The Mandatory Training Group, we believe awareness is just the beginning. Whether you’re a healthcare provider preparing for CQC inspections, an educational institution supporting young parents, or a workplace striving for better staff well-being, we can help you create policies and systems that truly make a difference.

Our ComplyPlus™ platform is designed to make this easy, helping you develop breastfeeding-friendly policies, track compliance, conduct audits, and ensure your organisation meets both legal requirements and best practice standards. With live dashboards, editable policy templates, and inspection‑ready documentation, ComplyPlus™ gives you the tools to turn good intentions into measurable action.