(Reader tip: if you are reading this from your phone, go ahead and turn it horizontal).

I'm popping on the blog this week to help support and spread awareness for breastfeeding. I'd like to preface this post to all the moms who are NOT breastfeeding with this first: I see you and I support you. I know that for some, breastfeeding isn't working or it isn't an option, or it wasn't the best fit for you and your family. Whatever the reason, and however you choose to feed your baby, is perfectly fine in my book, please know that. What's important is that your baby is fed, loved, and nurtured which isn't always so easy to do all around the world.

So.... What is it?

Lately I feel like there's a 'day' for everything - like did you know that yesterday (July 31st) was National Avocado Day?! I love avocados like anyone else, but really, WHO makes these days, and WHY? So, I did a little deeper investigating, and before I feature some of the amazing mamas I've had the absolute honor of capturing while feeding their babes, I wanted to tell you what I found out about what World Breastfeeding Week is all about.

#WBW2018:

It's about empowering women and families to make informed decisions. It's focus is the WORLD (let that sink in)- it is so much bigger than our town, our city, our state or our country. This is the world we are talking about, where resources aren't so easy to get ahold of.

"In a world filled with inequality, crises and poverty, breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong good health for babies and mothers." (taken from Worldbreastfeeding.org)

World Breastfeeding week is a week long commitment to bring awareness and the foundations of this year's WBW are: Inform, Anchor, Engage and Galvanize. "In the 15 years since the adoption of the original Innocenti Declaration in 1990, remarkable progress has been made in improving infant and young child feeding practices worldwide. Nevertheless, inappropriate feeding practices – sub-optimal or no breastfeeding and inadequate complementary feeding – remain the greatest threat to child health and survival globally. Improved breastfeeding alone could save the lives of more than 3,500 children every day, more than any other preventive intervention." Innocenti Declaration 2005.

So, in a nut shell, that's what it's all about. And I'm all for it. I looked to see if there were any events in the Baltimore area and I couldn't find one pinned on the WBW site....so, this got me thinking, should we do one? It would be so last minute, but I'd be up for organizing! I know in years past there's been some local ones. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas on this, comment below or shoot me an email at: Jess [at] jesstcaleigh-photograhy [dot] com.

Seriously. Should we do this?!

Anyway, without any further a-due, here are a small fraction of the lovely mama's who've let me into a very intimate and important part of their motherhood journey. I thank each and every one of them for allowing their images to be shared with the world, "to advocate for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding everywhere". (UNICEF /WHO)

To all the partners who support this journey -
Thank you.

We often couldn't do it without you.

And here are my mamas: insert all the heart eyes imaginable.

To the first time mamas, the multi-tasking mamas, the balancing-it-all mamas, the pumping mamas, the supplementing mamas, the mamas of multiples, the mamas who've experienced loss, the mamas who are struggling, the mamas who (appear) have it all together... to ALL. THE. MAMAS: I see you. You are you a badass. Keep up the good work. We are in this adventure of motherhood together.

xx