San Bernardino County to celebrate Black Breastfeeding Week with interactive community event

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Parent breastfeeds a newborn while another parent sits close beside them. — *Celebrate Black Breastfeeding Week on Aug. 29 as BIH supports families with resources, connection and culturally centered care.*

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s Black Infant Health (BIH) Program invites families, expectant parents, support persons and community members to celebrate Black Breastfeeding Week at its annual community breastfeeding celebration/baby shower on Aug. 29 at the Dorothy Inghram Learning Center in San Bernardino. The 2026 theme is “Getting What You Need to Nourish Your Baby.”

Black Breastfeeding Week is a national observance celebrated annually from Aug. 25-31. Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for both infants and parents, but Black families continue to face barriers that can make breastfeeding more difficult, including unequal access to lactation support.

At this year’s event, attendees can expect an engaging, interactive experience featuring:

Breastfeeding education workshops covering engorgement, pumping, breastfeeding in public and safe sleep.
A dedicated fatherhood workshop designed to equip fathers with practical tools to support breastfeeding and family wellness.
Lactation support from knowledgeable professionals.
A Parent Support Store offering free baby essentials, parenting resources and self-care items.
Interactive activities and more!

Black Breastfeeding Week creates space to celebrate the strengths, traditions and collective wisdom within Black communities while addressing disparities. The goal of the Black Infant Health Program is to improve health among Black mothers and babies by empowering pregnant and mothering Black women to make healthy choices for a brighter future. Nationally, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women and Black infants are two to three times more likely to die before their first birthday (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025). Many of these outcomes are preventable and are influenced by longstanding inequities in access to care and the social conditions that shape health.

The BIH Program works to address these disparities by providing culturally responsive services that empower Black families throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. The Black Breastfeeding Week celebration reflects this mission by bringing together local organizations, healthcare professionals, lactation experts, fatherhood programs and community partners to provide practical education, meaningful connections and supportive resources in one welcoming space.

“Getting What You Need to Nourish Your Baby” encourages families to learn about available resources, ask questions, build community and leave with practical knowledge and tools they can use long after the event ends.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged.

Event details are as follows:

Location: 670 E. Carnegie Dr., San Bernardino
Date: Aug. 29, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Hosted by the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, Black Infant Health Program, in collaboration with community partners across the county.

For more information or to register for the event, visit bit.ly/4ft9sJ8.

For more information about the BIH Program, please call 909-387-6470 or visit dph.sbcounty.gov/bih.

For more information about other breastfeeding cultural observances, visit USBreastfeeding.org/national-breastfeeding-month.html.

Additional County Update News – August 27, 2026