World Breastfeeding Week

A heart that beats in unison for liquid gold. Celebrate it with 23maiparis.com!

Hello, dearest and most powerful tribe 23 mai paris ! August arrives with a special breeze, uniting us in a global song of love, nutrition and commitment: World Breastfeeding Week (WBW)! Every year, during the first week of August (from 1st to 7th), the whole world is decked out in gold to celebrate, protect, promote and support this so natural and yet so extraordinarily powerful act.

At 23maiparis.com, breastfeeding is the cornerstone of our philosophy, and this week is a wonderful opportunity to shout loud and clear why this gift of life is so crucial and how, together, we can ensure that more and more mothers and babies enjoy its infinite benefits. Join us on this journey to the heart of SMLM 

Discover World Breastfeeding Week: what exactly are we celebrating?

You may have heard of it, seen the golden ribbon or taken part in a "collective feeding", but what is the SMLM? Created in 1992 at the initiative of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding (WABA) and supported by giants such as the WHO and UNICEF, the WMBS commemorates the Innocenti Declaration, signed in August 1990, which set clear objectives for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding.

It's not just a date on the calendar, it's a worldwide movement active in over 170 countries. It's a week for :

• Inform : Sharing verified, up-to-date knowledge about the incomparable benefits of breastfeeding.
• Anchor : Establish breastfeeding as a social and public health norm.
• Promote : generate concrete actions to support breastfeeding mothers in all areas: family, professional, community and health.
• Unite: Creating support networks and raising awareness of shared responsibility for breastfeeding success.

Each year, the SMLM focuses on a specific theme, tackling different crucial aspects: from support in the workplace to the role of the healthcare system, the importance of family support, breastfeeding in emergency situations or the need to protect it from the aggressive marketing of substitutes. But the central message still resonates with the same force: breastfeeding is a fundamental human right for babies and mothers, and deserves to be encouraged and defended by all.

At the heart of the celebration: why so much passion for breastfeeding?

If SMLM is a celebration, breast milk is the guest of honor, and rightly so! As we've already explored in our article on the importance of breastfeeding, its benefits are a universe unto themselves:

• A priceless treasure for your baby:
• Perfect, dynamic nutrition: from colostrum, that first concentrated "vaccine", to mature milk, its composition adapts as if by magic to your baby's needs, day after day, and even during the same feed. It's the most complete and bioavailable food available.
• An unbeatable immune shield: rich in antibodies, living cells, enzymes and hormones that protect against respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, ear infections, and reduce the risk of allergies, asthma and future chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
• Cognitive and sensory stimulation: Essential fatty acids (DHA and ARA) promote brain and visual development. Skin-to-skin contact and sucking promote healthy neurological and emotional development.
• Deep emotional bonding: It's much more than food, it's comfort, security, liquid love that reinforces secure attachment.

• For you, mom, a gift of well-being:
• Accelerated post-partum recovery: Helps uterine contraction, reduces bleeding and promotes the loss of weight gained during pregnancy.
• Protection against disease: reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
• Connection and empowerment: strengthens the bond with your baby and gives you a tremendous sense of empowerment and accomplishment.
• Convenience and savings: always ready, at the right temperature and free of charge!
• An act of responsibility for society and the planet:
• Public health : fewer childhood illnesses means lower healthcare costs.
• Environmental sustainability: It generates no waste, does not pollute, and does not require costly industrial processes. It's the most environmentally-friendly food there is!

SMLM reminds us that these benefits are not an "extra" or a "luxury", but the basis for a healthy life and a brighter future.

Building a strong support network

Although the slogan changes every year, the pillars of the SMLM remain the same, focused on creating an environment conducive to breastfeeding:

1. Committed healthcare systems: From prenatal information to postnatal support, healthcare professionals (gynecologists, pediatricians, nurses, midwives) have a crucial role to play. The SMLM advocates "baby-friendly" hospitals, trained and informed staff, and policies that encourage early initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.
2. Protective laws and policies: breastfeeding shouldn't be a heroic act! Laws are needed to ensure adequate maternity leave, hygienic and functional breastfeeding rooms in the workplace, and protection against misleading infant formula advertising (in line with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes).
3. Empathetic work environments: Returning to work is one of the biggest challenges. SMLM encourages the creation of "breastfeeding-friendly spaces" in companies, with time and facilities for milk expression. At 23maiparis.com, we know that suitable breastfeeding clothing, such as our discreet and functional t-shirts and dresses, can make a big difference in this respect.
4. Community and family support: Partner, family and community support is VITAL. A word of encouragement, help at home, respect for mother and baby's time, and the normalization of breastfeeding in public are gestures that help create a favorable environment. This "tribe" is the emotional support of the breastfeeding mother!
5. Truthful, accessible information: Combating myths and misinformation is a constant task. SMLM promotes access to up-to-date, scientific information so that mothers can make free, informed decisions. Our blogs on 23maiparis.com aim to be part of this solution!

You're the protagonist: how do you live and multiply the SMLM spirit?

World Breastfeeding Week isn't just for experts or activists-it's for all of us! Here are a few ideas on how you can join us in making a difference:

• Get informed and share: Read, ask questions, do research. Share articles, publications or your own experience with other women. Break myths with information from reliable sources.
• Celebrate your own breastfeeding (or that of someone close to you): if you're breastfeeding, be proud! Every feed is a success. If you know a breastfeeding mother, offer her your unconditional support: a hot meal, help with household chores or simply a sympathetic ear.
• Participate in events (virtual or face-to-face): Look in your community or online for "group feedings", conferences, workshops or support groups. Getting in touch with other moms is very enriching!
• Normalize breastfeeding in public: if you feel comfortable, breastfeed where your baby needs you to. Your example will help others see breastfeeding for what it is: something natural and beautiful.
• Make your voice heard (if you feel the need): if you find that conditions aren't right in your workplace or community, consider speaking out and proposing improvements. You can support organizations that defend the rights of breastfeeding mothers.
• Take care of your well-being: to be able to give, you need to feel good. Focus on rest, nutrition and hydration. At 23maiparis.com, we've got your comfort in mind too, with our nursing sweatshirts and clothes that let you feel good while you take care of your baby.
• Remember that every journey is unique: if your breastfeeding didn't go as you planned, or if you opted for mixed feeding or formula for whatever reason, you're just as much a great mom. The SMLM aims to support, not judge.

SMLM, a glimmer of hope

Despite the progress made, breastfeeding still faces many obstacles:

• Lack of information and adequate professional support.
• Deeply rooted cultural myths and beliefs.
• Social pressure and inappropriate comments.
• Difficulty reconciling breastfeeding and paid work.
• Aggressive marketing of substitutes.
• Lack of breastfeeding-friendly public spaces.
• Common problems such as pain, perceived low milk production or managing weaning.

The SMLM is an annual reminder that these challenges are real, but not insurmountable. It's an incentive to keep working, researching, legislating and, above all, supporting each other.

Your ally in breastfeeding, today and forever

At 23maiparis.com, World Breastfeeding Week is a confirmation of our daily commitment. We firmly believe in the power of breast milk, and in every mother's right to breastfeed in the most fulfilling and satisfying way possible.

• Reliable information: Through our blog, we aim to provide you with relevant, practical and evidence-based content to answer your questions and support you every step of the way.
• Community and support: We want to be part of your "tribe", a space where you feel understood and celebrated.
• Practical solutions: Our nursing garments are lovingly designed in Mexico with your real needs in mind: comfort, discretion, style and functionality, to make breastfeeding or expressing milk easier, wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

The legacy of World Breastfeeding Week

SMLM is much more than seven days in August. It's a seed that's sown every year, reminding us that protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding is an investment in the future: for healthier babies, more empowered mothers, stronger families and a more sustainable planet.

May this week inspire us all to be guardians of liquid gold, to defend the right to breastfeed and be breastfed, and to build a world where breastfeeding is the norm, not the exception.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week, dear tribe 23 mai Paris ! May milk and love flow freely.

How will you be celebrating or supporting SMLM this year? What does this week mean to you? We'd love to read your thoughts and experiences in the comments!