Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week
As part of World Breastfeeding Week 2025, we wanted to celebrate by recognising and honouring all the people involved in the breastfeeding journey – because breastfeeding is never achieved alone. Drawing on the global theme from the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) Women’s Health Action has released new resources.
2025 World Breastfeeding Theme
“Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems”
“When breastfeeding is protected, promoted and supported, a sustainable environment is created and will help us mitigate immediate impacts of climate change”
Emergency Infant Feeding Plan
In response to the 2024 World Breast Feeding Week Women’s Health Action created an Emergency Infant Feeding Plan template to help you be prepared for an emergency situation, for example: a power cut, infectious disease outbreak, flooding, earthquake, etc. This years theme makes it even more relevant. As we face increasing adversity and weather-related disasters due to global warming.
This plan gives examples of ways to prepare for a minimum of 72 hours when you might have limited access to clean and safe water.
Share these documents with your friends and whānau so they too can be prepared in the case of an emergency.
Download the Template
NEW: Return to Work Plan
Breastfeeding and Expressing at Work: A collaborative plan for returning to work
In response to this years theme, Women’s Health Action has created a return to work plan to help facilitate positive guided discussions for returning to work while breastfeeding. These conversations and the self advocacy required can be hard for the parent who is returning to work
This form follows recommendations from Employment New Zealand, current codes and legislation around breastfeeding in the workplace and provides encouragement to employers on the benefits of creating a breastfeeding friendly workplace.
Free to Use Breastfeeding Artwork and Images
Watch our video from the artist, Lou Kelly, to learn about the message behind each image.
Breastfeeding is a public health issue
Increasing breastfeeding is a key determinant of public health. It is one of the most significant and cost-effective ways to improve equity and increase the health and wellbeing of a population. Navigating ‘optimal infant feeding’ is a complex and multidimensional challenge that requires strong government leadership and coordination, and a holistic, whole-of-system approach.
Download the Images Below
A note on the te reo Māori that accompanies the e-cards
Ko te aroha anō he wai
E pupū ake ana
He awa e māpuna mai ana
I roto i te whatu-manawa (x2)
Ko tōna mātāpuna he hōhonu
Ā inā ia ka rere anō (x2)
He tai timu
He tai pari
He tai ope
He tai roa
He tai nui
My love is like water
continually bubbling up
a spring that will keep flowing
from within your soul.
Its source is deep within
it has a soothing effect
an ebb tide
an incoming tide
a forceful tide
a long-lasting tide
a full tide.
This waiata (song), Te Tai Aroha, was composed by Anaru Kupenga and his brother Jay Kupenga of Ruatōria when they came across a spring flowing from Maunga Hikurangi in 1981. It speaks of being connected to a spring, the essence of Papatūāanuku (Earth, Earth mother) where actual fizzing bubbles come from the springs of life. Back in the day, whare (houses, dwellings) were built close to springs as the place to be able to sustain households. When we take notice of the natural world around us instead of the things we are provided through the media to look at then we can see whats really in front of our face. The Natural World is full of great things we need to watch out for.
For more information about transgender and non-binary parents
See the Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa (PADA) resource here