19/09/2026
This week is all about encouraging, supporting, and empowering the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mothers and Community. Close the Gap, Strengthen the Bridge.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Breastfeeding Week, now in its second year, is when families and providers come together to celebrate the community that supports them and raise awareness of their unique needs. It runs September 16 to 22, and the 2026 theme is Close the Gap, Strengthen the Bridge: Community, Care & Connection. For those of us in lactation care, that awareness has a practical side: learning what a family's support already looks like before deciding what it needs.
Throughout National Breastfeeding Month and in every language, we have been celebrating the same thing: behind every successful breastfeeding, there is a community, and whether that community is in the room next door or appears on a phone screen, it helps the family during those first difficult weeks. Deaf and Hard of Hearing families are no different.
Every family deserves support and encouragement. Deaf families also deserve care providers who understand their culture, and it’s up to us to build that understanding.
The week is organized by the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Breastfeeding Collective, who are also working to grow the number of Deaf and Hard of Hearing lactation care providers. Let's help them spread their message and keep building a community where every family can find support.