City champions breastfeeding at 'First 1000 Days' events

04 August 2025

City Health is a major advocate for breastfeeding, particularly its importance in a child's first 1000 days when nutrition can have a profound impact on a child's ability to develop and learn. Read more below:

The City of Cape Town proudly joins the global community in commemorating World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) between 1 and 7 August 2025, themed: 'Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.'

This year’s focus emphasises the need to build long-lasting structures that make breastfeeding practical and accessible for everyone by highlighting the role of communities and individuals in creating a supportive environment.

It calls on governments, workplaces, health systems, and communities to work together to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding through long-term, coordinated efforts.

In celebration of WBW, the City is collaborating with other stakeholders to host 'First 1000 Days' events in four communities this week: Lotus River (5th), Wallacedene (6th), Macassar (7th) and Gugulethu (8th).

These gatherings are tailored for pregnant women and mothers with their babies, along with partners and support persons, and will provide an interactive platform to access a basket of maternal, women and child health-related information and services.

Interested persons can attend on the days in question - alternatively, anyone seeking more information on breastfeeding can consult their nearest clinic as this forms part of maternal health education.

'Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child survival, optimal nutrition and development, especially in the critical first 1000 days of a child’s life. However, for breastfeeding to truly succeed, we must create enabling environments at work, at home and in communities. Breastfeeding success relies not just on individual will, but on consistent, accessible support systems. Our ‘First 1000 Days Indabas’ aim to do exactly that - bringing essential information and services directly to our mothers and families, right where they live and supporting them holistically,' said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham.

The City will also continue its Infant Feeding Counselling Project. Through this initiative, trained Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers will be deployed across key communities to provide dedicated support to pregnant women and postnatal mothers on optimal infant feeding practices.

'This project helps create a sustainable, community-level support system that prioritises the nutritional needs of infants while empowering mothers. It is a real investment in the health and future of Cape Town’s youngest citizens,' added Councillor Higham.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office