I'm baaaaaack

Hey everyone. I should apologize for my small hiatus from writing. I've been incredibly busy, although who isn't around this time of year? Nonetheless, it is pretty shameful that I haven't been writing about breastfeeding through world breastfeeding week/month. So for that, let me put my 2 cents in about World Black Breastfeeding Month. Yes. I'm going there. ;) 

 First of all, it is not as well-recognized as the last week in August the way the first week in August is known as World Breastfeeding Week. I think this is in part due to the fact that it has been newly established. This is only the 3rd annual celebration, so it truly is new and mostly unknown. This year's theme is Lift Every Baby. I love that idea because it puts the focus on where it belongs. The choice to breastfeed is really about the baby first and establishing good health and a deep bond that will form a foundation of love, security, and a stronger life.

 Apparently, not everyone is on board with celebrating Black Breastfeeding Week... There is actual controversy online and in the narrow stream of lactation news and media. That's Crazy, right? Am I the only one who thinks this is nuts? Honestly, all lactating mothers have so many obstacles (especially in this country) to overcome: physical, hormonal, emotional, and social. The battle to normalize public breastfeeding is an uphill battle for us all here in the United States, why are we causing more challenges to an already challenging goal by throwing our arms up at supporting black mamas who want to breastfeed? I fear the upset derives from an unawareness of the different adversities that African- American or Black women face in their pursuit to breastfeed their babies. Now, I'm certainly not going to claim that I know everything that Black moms face here, because, for one, I'm not Black. I was not raised by Black parents nor did I grow up in a predominantly Black neighborhood or school. What I do know is what I hear from the Black moms that I interact with and good old polls and statistics.

   "The gap between black and white breastfeeding initiation rates narrowed from 24 percentage points in 2000 to 16 percentage points in 2008." This progress doesn't just happen. It comes with specific outreach and support for the moms who don't relate with the mainstream services and counseling. A black mother has formula shoved at her by the hospitals, pediatricians, family, and friends from the first second the baby is born. She is also harassed incessantly by her community (often by those close to her) for her choice to breastfeed, and not just in public. And most Black moms don't have support groups or lactation counseling near them, often not even in the same neighborhood, as well as a lack of dependable transportation. Many don't have enough financial or marital support at home, so they NEED to work outside of the home right away, decreasing their chance of success at establishing a good latch and milk supply. And these are just the obstacles I'm aware of. Without stepping into someone else's world, we will not have a significant impact with the women we work with and it'd be a near impossibility to advise them through their unique challenges. This goes for all women, but most especially for women of different classes, backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities. I encourage you to read this post about the trials that a mom of mixed race faced while breastfeeding. 

In the end, we need to step back from the lense we're looking through and remember that other women are trying to do their best to work through their own trials. Let's love and support each other as women and mothers. And remember to put others and their needs before ourselves. I don't think we're beyond applying the principles that Laci and Franchesca lay out for understanding intersectional feminism to the lactating world.  



Credit for the touching photos in this post goes to my brown baby. Check it out for more stories.

Where's the Community Today?

As a professional looking to change the breastfeeding trends of our culture, I am constantly questioning what the biggest obstacles are to not achieving our goals of exclusivity, longer duration, and public acceptance. It's challenging not only to understand our stumbling blocks but how to overcome them. I have concluded that a breakdown in family community leaves a woman unprepared for specific challenges of motherhood, one of them being lactation but also, a lack of and dire need for a community of women in general. Not only do we moms need to be able to lean on our moms, grandmas, aunts, sisters, cousins, but we desperately desire having friends, peers, even coworkers who will be supportive and who would find ways to encourage our pursuits as mothers. Very few areas in this country nurture an environment of community and unity of like-minded ambitions.

...And so, we look to the Internet! A place of information overload and tons of "friends" across seas and countries; the internet is the new facet for community. I'm not gonna knock it because, for many of us, it feels like the only place we can go to escape judgment and befriend people with whom we actually see "eye to eye" and can raise our spirits without having to change out of our PJ's! However, not only is face to face contact with others important to our sanity and vital to keep a balance of normalcy and humanity, but it has a much more significant positive impact on how we feel about our trials.

 Prenatally, it can also help us build the confidence necessary to have the courage just to try breastfeeding our babies. Breastfeeding is daunting, and motherhood itself can be very lonely at times. When you feel like you're on your own, you don't know if what you're doing is right or not and you can quickly lose all confidence in your ability and instincts. You need that person behind you telling you to trust yourself and how great a job you're doing, especially during those hormonal swings and anxiety-ridden nights. In my job, that's where I come in. I am that person to take your 1 or 2 am texts and calls, listen to your fears and frustrations, and turn everything upside down by, not only giving you tips and suggestions, but even more so by being your cheerleader! Every mom needs her own personal 24/7 cheerleader (or even group of cheerleaders). We need to push every state, county, city and neighborhood to create more places in the lactation field for people like me. But even before accomplishing that, we need to unite as women and support each other as mothers. We're all struggling to do this job right; let's come together and applaud one another for putting in her best effort EVERYDAY!!

  

So, I leave you with this question:

Did you have someone key to your success in breastfeeding; if so, who?

If you're pregnant or planning to become a mom, who would you want cheering you on to reach your goals with nursing?