Reclaiming the Power to Nourish: Why Breastfeeding Still Needs Our Collective Action

World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August) is more than just a celebration; it's a global campaign to inform, anchor, engage, and galvanise action on breastfeeding and related issues.

This year, we're raising a stronger, more inclusive conversation: one that connects breastfeeding to mental health, workplace rights, cultural safety, and the real lived experiences of families.

At The Essential Baby Co CIC, we're not just recognising the week—we're actively transforming the systems that shape it.

Why Are So Many Women Losing the Drive to Breastfeed?

Let's be honest: breastfeeding is hard. It's beautiful, yes but it can also feel lonely, painful, and full of pressure or guilt.

Although 8 in 10 mothers in the UK start breastfeeding, only 23% are still exclusively breastfeeding at six weeks. By six months, that figure drops to just 1%. The reasons aren't down to personal failure they're structural.

• Lack of time to rest and recover

• Limited public understanding or support

• Inadequate workplace accommodations

• Confusing or harmful advice from family and culture

• Mental health struggles that go unrecognised

We're hearing it loud and clear: it's not the motivation that's missing, it's the support.

Breastfeeding and Mental Health Are Closely Linked

Breastfeeding challenges can trigger feelings of failure, shame, and postnatal depression. In the UK, 65% of mothers say they've experienced emotional distress connected to feeding.

At The Essential Baby Co CIC, we believe emotional wellbeing is just as important as milk supply. That's why we embed mental health support into every peer session, education workshop, and community space we offer.

Breastfeeding and Work: What Needs to Change?

Even with protections under the UK Equality Act (2010), many women are still left expressing in toilets, hiding in stock rooms, or giving up feeding entirely when returning to work.

Globally, 1 in 5 mothers leave their jobs due to stress related to breastfeeding.

We believe workplaces should empower, not exhaust new parents.

• We are looking to work with employers to create breastfeeding‑friendly environments

• We support parents in advocating for their rights

• And we push for policies that make breastfeeding at work realistic

Lived Experience is Evidence

Too often, the real experiences of mothers are left out of policies and professional guidelines.

But lived experience isn't anecdotal it's evidence.

We centre these voices because real change starts with real stories.

Want to join us? Click here to sign up to our haPPIE Research Group to keep building on the lived experience evidence and to make future services more suitable for new mothers.

Cultural Safety in Feeding: Respecting Differences, Challenging Myths

Across many cultures, breastfeeding is seen as essential but also clouded by myths and taboos. In some South Asian and communities with mothers who have black or brown skin, beliefs like "the milk isn't strong enough" or "you should wait three days to feed" still circulate.

These traditions can make mothers feel uncertain, anxious, or judged.

But culture can also be a strength. With the right support, we can:

• Gently challenge outdated beliefs with facts and compassion

• Provide education that feels relevant and relatable

• Honour cultural identity while promoting safe, informed feeding

  
  

Where Do We Stand? A Snapshot

Let's look at the current picture:

• Only 48% of babies under six months are exclusively breastfed worldwide

• The global target is 50% by 2025, and 60% by 2030

• Some countries, like Rwanda and Sri Lanka, have rates above 80%

• The UK lags significantly behind due to inconsistent support and cultural barriers

It Takes All of Us: Collective Action for Real Change

Breastfeeding isn't just a personal choice it's a public responsibility.

To raise breastfeeding rates and ensure equitable care, we need:

• Community-led campaigns

• Supportive, well-informed workplaces

• Culturally safe education

• Mental health built into every service

• Policies shaped by families, not just professionals

What We're Doing at The Essential Baby Co CIC

At The Essential Baby Co CIC, we're a community-powered movement transforming maternity and family healthcare.

Our mission is simple: put public voices at the heart of policies, services, and education.

Here's how we're doing it:

✅ Peer Support Circles led by parents with lived experience

✅ Workshops on breastfeeding myths, challenges, and cultural insights

✅ Mental Health Support included in all education and care pathways

✅ Employer Training to make workplaces baby- and parent-friendly

✅ Policy Influence driven by real stories from real communities

We're closing gaps, amplifying voices, and reshaping systems together.

How You Can Get Involved

• Share your breastfeeding journey

• Join one of our peer-led sessions

• Recommend our support tools to your employer

• Host a breastfeeding education event in your local area

• Invite us to speak about equity and feeding at your organisation or event

This World Breastfeeding Week, let's do more than raise awareness.

Let's centre real stories, rebuild supportive systems, and offer every mother not just some the care she deserves.

Because feeding is never just about milk it's about belonging, safety, dignity, and healing.