The theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, “Closing the Gap,” highlighted the importance of providing access to breastfeeding support. Now, as Black Breastfeeding Week kicks off, it’s more important than ever to recognize the barriers that stand between Black moms and the breastfeeding care and support they need. As the data shows, the disparity is stark. According to the CDC, fewer non-Hispanic Black infants (75.4%) are ever breastfed compared with Asian infants (92.7%), non-Hispanic White infants (86.2%), and Hispanic infants (83.4%).
With Black mothers being less likely to initiate breastfeeding than other racial/ethnic groups, it’s essential to present breastfeeding as a viable option for feeding their babies.
Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure a child’s health and survival, according to the World Health Organization. The organization notes that breast milk is safe, clean, and contains antibodies to help protect against many common childhood illnesses and allergic disease. Breast milk provides energy and nutrients an infant needs for up to two years, adapting to the child’s changing needs. It is also inexpensive, and helps establish a strong emotional bond between mother and child.
Mothers who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, according to WHO.
Yet, despite the many benefits, Black mothers are opting out of breastfeeding.
The history of Black moms during slavery as well as aggressive marketing of formula may have contributed to the disparities and the stigma around breastfeeding in the Black community. During slavery, Black women were often forced to nurse, or wet nurse, the children of their enslavers, which left little milk for their own children. Additionally, Black mothers were unfairly seen as savages, cold, and incompetent, which influenced how they were portrayed in popular media, as discussed in WBUR’s excerpt from the book Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race, and Injustice by Andrea Freeman.
Formula campaigns also heavily targeted Black mothers, with virtually no breastfeeding representation for Black women. These race-based marketing campaigns touted the convenience of formula, which appealed to working Black mothers and kept them in the workforce.
Black women also may lack access to supportive environments for breastfeeding, such as workplace accommodations that allow for pumping milk. These factors might have contributed to creating a community where formula feeding was seen as the norm.
The cultural stigma around breastfeeding can be a significant barrier as well. When exploring breastfeeding as an option for my own children, I was met with intense scrutiny and concern from family and friends who had exclusively used formula to feed their children.
As a physician and mom, I’m here to tell you that figuring out the best way to feed a baby is ultimately the mother’s choice, and that choice should come with no judgement. Both options should be presented to Black mothers as acceptable ways to feed their children and provide the necessary nutrients they need.
Formula is convenient and can ensure that a child is getting a specific amount of calories. It also allows both parents to be a part of the bonding process while feeding. For babies that are allergic to their mother’s milk or adoptive parents with newborns, formula provides vital nutrition.
No mother’s situation is the same, nor should they be made to feel guilty or ashamed of their choice.
To address the disparity and improve outcomes, clinicians should present Black mothers with information about all feeding options including breastfeeding and formula. Black mothers should also be given access to lactation nurses after birth, at the same rate as their peers, to provide them with support and guidance and help alleviate fears.
For working Black mothers who are expecting and considering breastfeeding, read up on the law around workplace accommodations for pumping breastmilk. Review federal and state employment laws and talk with your employer about your scheduling needs.
As a community and “a village,” let’s work together to provide a positive support system, resources that include breastfeeding literacy, and all feeding options to help Black mothers and babies thrive.
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