WHY IS BREASTFEEDING A
BIRTH JUSTICE ISSUE?

Voices, Voices for Birth Justice, VBJ, Birthing Rights, Birth Justice, preterm birth, preemie, premature birth, Doula, breastfeeding, PTBi, Preterm Birth Initiative, Oakland, Bay Area, San Francisco, Fresno, Birthworkers, birth worker, advocate, parents, mothers

BLACK WOMEN
ARE CHANGING
THE NARRATIVE ON
BREASTFEEDING.

Black women have had the lowest breastfeeding initiation rates of all races. The reasons are complex and deeply rooted in slavery, the commodification of Black bodies and the historical oppression of Black birth in the United States. This page is meant to be a brief overview of the issue of low Black breastfeeding rates while providing solutions and resources that you can share with your communities and clients.

NOTE: VOICES FOR BIRTH JUSTICE USES THE TERM MOTHER FOR THE SAKE OF EASE WHILE STRONGLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT NOT ALL PEOPLE WHO GIVE BIRTH ARE FEMALE-IDENTIFIED. WE ALSO USE “BREASTFEEDING” WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT SOME PEOPLE PREFER THE TERM CHEST FEEDING.

BREASTFEEDING HAS NUMEROUS
HEALTH BENEFITS FOR
INFANTS AND MOTHERS.

It is recommended that moms and birthing persons exclusively feed their infants breast milk or human milk for the first six months of life and continue to supplement their infant’s diet with the milk for up to two years of age and beyond.

BENEFITS FOR BABIES

Human milk has vital nutrients that help babies grow, develop, and combat illness.

Voices, Voices for Birth Justice, VBJ, Birthing Rights, Birth Justice, preterm birth, preemie, premature birth, Doula, breastfeeding, PTBi, Preterm Birth Initiative, Oakland, Bay Area, San Francisco, Fresno, Birthworkers, birth worker, advocate, parents, mothers
Voices, Voices for Birth Justice, VBJ, Birthing Rights, Birth Justice, preterm birth, preemie, premature birth, Doula, breastfeeding, PTBi, Preterm Birth Initiative, Oakland, Bay Area, San Francisco, Fresno, Birthworkers, birth worker, advocate, parents, mothers

BENEFITS FOR MOMS

It also has life-saving benefits for mothers by increasing the production of oxytocin, the “love hormone,” which can help the mom/birthing person by:

1. stopping bleeding after birth

2. lowering their risk for diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer

3. strengthening the bond with the baby

4. helping the womb to contract to prepregnancy size

It also helps burn extra calories for the mom. Black moms and infants who don’t breastfeed miss out on these important health benefits.

(NOTE: BREASTFEEDING MAY NOT BE SAFE FOR EVERYONE – I.E., THOSE WITH CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS, TAKING SOME MEDICINES, OR USING CERTAIN DRUGS)

 

YET BLACK WOMEN HAVE LOWER BREASTFEEDING RATES. WHY?

The reasons stem from history, social barriers to breastfeeding, and lack of support

Voices, Voices for Birth Justice, VBJ, Birthing Rights, Birth Justice, preterm birth, preemie, premature birth, Doula, breastfeeding, PTBi, Preterm Birth Initiative, Oakland, Bay Area, San Francisco, Fresno, Birthworkers, birth worker, advocate, parents, mothers

“before birth 86% of black women want to breastfeed. at 3 months, only 53% of black women are able to breastfeed. this suggests that black women encounter unique obstacles that prevent them from breastfeeding their infants

% OF INFANTS BREASTFED BY BREASTFEEDING DURATION AND RACE22013-15 MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH ASSESSMENT (MIHA) SURVEY

HISTORICAL TRAUMA OF WET-NURSING AND PROMOTION OF BREASTMILK SUBSTITUTES
  • Black enslaved women were forced to become wet-nurses for their White oppressor’s children, which has caused historical trauma that still impacts Black communities today. Learn more

 

 

  • Black women today are less likely to have had a mother or grandmother who breastfed because of the practices of the past.
MASSIVE FORMULA CAMPAIGNS AIMED AT BLACK MOTHERS.
  • These include systemic practices that promote formula feeding
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS( DOCTORS AND NURSES) RECEIVE VERY LITTLE EDUCATION ON BREASTFEEDING AND LACTATION.
ABSENCE OF CULTURALLY CONGRUENT BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT AND EDUCATION
  • Currently, formula companies spend $480 million on marketing, while the government spends only $68 million on breastfeeding support and promotion. These marketing campaigns often target Black communities.

 

  • Political forces in the U.S. paved the way for formula companies to distribute products through hospitals immediately after birth.
WORK CONDITIONS
  • Black women are more likely to work in environments that do not support breastfeeding or allow for adequate places to pump.

 

  • Black parents are more likely to be ineligible for or unable to afford to take unpaid family leave than white parents, which adds a hurdle when it comes to sticking with breastfeeding.

 

THE SEXUALIZATION OF THE BREASTS
  • Many communities deeply feel the stigmatization of breastfeeding in public as promiscuous.

 

BREASTFEEDING MYTHS

Some people have mistaken beliefs

  • A bigger baby is a healthier baby leading mom to introduce formula and cereal early.

 

  • Breastfeeding will spoil the baby

 

  • Black women don’t breastfeed

 

BLACK BIRTH ADVOCATES ARE CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

BREASTFEEDING AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE

Voices, Voices for Birth Justice, VBJ, Birthing Rights, Birth Justice, preterm birth, preemie, premature birth, Doula, breastfeeding, PTBi, Preterm Birth Initiative, Oakland, Bay Area, San Francisco, Fresno, Birthworkers, birth worker, advocate, parents, mothers

The racial gap in breastfeeding rates is shrinking thanks to tireless leaders like Kimberly Seals Allers, founder of Black Breastfeeding Week, and the work of lactation and infant feeding specialists, health professionals who specialize or are certified in human lactation and breastfeeding.

While any supportive person can increase the chances of breastfeeding initiation, Black women’s complex history warrants culturally competent lactation and infant feeding specialists.

Black women specializing in helping and supporting Black moms to breastfeed are becoming increasingly crucial to changing the narrative around breastfeeding. Meet Oakland-based lactation consultants TaNefer Camara and Brandi Gates.

Resources

BLACK BREASTFEEDING SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITIES

Breastfeeding Support Group for Black Moms

Black Moms Breastfeed

Black Breastfeeding Circle of Mamas

Black Pumping Mamas

Breastfriends

T.L.C Consulting and Maternal healing

Midnight Milk Club

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