Black Mothers'​ Breastfeeding Association’s Post

Building Our Future 🌟 Today, we focus on building our future. As we wrap up this incredible week of celebration, storytelling, and advocacy, let’s turn our attention to the future we want for our families and communities. By continuing to support and empower each other, we create a future where every Black mother feels confident and supported in her breastfeeding journey. Together, we can foster a culture of health, well-being, and justice for generations to come. Let’s share our dreams and visions for the future of Black breastfeeding. What steps can we take today to make a difference tomorrow? 🖤🍼 #BlackBreastfeedingWeek #BuildingOurFuture #MothersMagicalMilk #BreastfeedingJustice

DYK? Doula support, specifically among low-income women, is shown to improve breastfeeding success! Learn more about doulas in Pennsylvania and how you can help: padoulacommission.org #WorldDoulaWeek Pennsylvania Doula Commission

Did you know..? In all 50 states and DC, there are laws allowing mothers to breastfeed in public. However! Only 31 states (and DC) exempt breastfeeding mothers from public indecency laws. Breastfeeding in public has been a culturally slow norm in the United States, with Moms still required to use a cover in almost half of states. It wasn't until 1984 that New York become the first state to legally protect breastfeeding from public indecency, and not until 1994 did they pass a law expressly protecting a mother's right to breastfeed her baby in public. US laws have come a long way in the past few decades and continue to improve across the country. Yet there are still many ways to create more supportive spaces for mothers and their babies. Reference: "The Evolution of Breastfeeding Laws in the U.S." Mila's Keeper

Empowering Women, One Latch at a Time As breastfeeding counsellors, my colleague Zoleka and I have had the privilege of supporting women from vulnerable communities in their breastfeeding journeys. Our work goes beyond latching and feeding – we also provide PMTCT (Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission) counselling to ensure HIV-positive mothers have the support they need to prevent transmission to their babies. Plus, we offer postpartum family planning counseling, empowering women to make informed choices about their reproductive health. We've faced challenges: language barriers, cultural differences, and limited access to resources. But we've also celebrated successes: helping a young mother overcome latching issues, supporting a new mom in exclusively breastfeeding her premature baby, and empowering women to take control of their health and well-being. Through our work, we've learned that breastfeeding support is not just about milk supply, but about dignity, hope, and resilience. We're proud to be part of a community that prioritizes equity, inclusivity, and social justice. Let's continue to lift each other up and support marginalized communities in their breastfeeding journeys, PMTCT, and postpartum family planning needs. #BreastfeedingSupport #PMTCT #PostpartumFamilyPlanning #VulnerableCommunities #EmpoweringWomen #SocialJustice

Two days after my second daughter was born, in August 2011, the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) officially declared August to be National Breastfeeding Month (NBF) at an event hosted by Howard University Hospital and the DC Breastfeeding Coalition. This year, the 2024 NBM theme is Nourish, Sustain, Thrive, selected, according to the USBC, to “shine a light on why protecting, promoting, and supporting lactation is so important for the human life cycle, honor the incredible work that organizations are doing to make the world a little more friendly for new parents and families and highlight how individuals, funders, and policymakers can contribute to a strong and sustainable lactation field.” Organizations, funders, and policymakers, what have you done for NBF month? There is still time left to do something – for ideas, see the USBC-recommended inspiration guide, which includes a free, easy-to-use and downloadable SoMe kit:

The study examines breastfeeding outcomes in women with disabilities compared to those without. Analyzing data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, it finds no significant difference in breastfeeding initiation rates. However, women with disabilities are more likely to cease breastfeeding early, especially exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months, despite adjustments for socio-demographic factors. Tailored, accessible support is suggested to address disparities in breastfeeding outcomes for women with disabilities. #ISRHML #TraineeThursday Brown, H. K., Pablo, L., Scime, N. V., Aker, A. M., & Dennis, C. L. (2023). Maternal disability and initiation and duration of breastfeeding: analysis of a Canadian cross-sectional survey. International Breastfeeding Journal, 18(1), 70. https://ow.ly/7fHg50RvtPc

Working within diverse cultures and harvesting perspectives on issues is part of capacity strengthening for effective advocacy. Such issues as “why a woman would not want to exclusively breastfeed her baby” or even breastfeed at all… is a huge concern. This message is to adolescent girls and young mothers … Breast sag is not a consequence of suckling. The ‘breast must sag whether one breastfeeds or not.’ 😰 Please breast feed exclusively for the first six months of your baby’s life if you are still making babies 😊🎯🥰The Breastmilk contains all nutrients needed by an infant in the right proportions for optimal growth and development. Older Women support younger mothers Men support breastfeeding Government support breastfeeding Private sector support breastfeeding #Breastfeedingmum #Allwomen #supportbreastfeeding #

Watching the #MomsFirstSummit thinking it should be required viewing for all legislators & elected politicians. Anyone should tune in if you get a break in your day today.

Doulas are seen as a valuable part of the pregnancy care team as we tend to understand the unique challenges and biases Black mothers encounter in medical settings. Our presence and advocacy can make a life-saving difference, providing emotional support, knowledge, and a powerful voice in hospitals where implicit bias often affects the quality of care. We need to continue supporting and uplifting our Black doulas, whose work is essential in combating these disparities and improving maternal health outcomes for Black women. All while ensuring the proper coins are in place and barriers to advancement torn down so we can thrive. You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/es_RsGiw

World Breastfeeding Week starts today, an opportune time to recognize and reflect on workplaces' role in supporting chest/breastfeeding parents. Here are some actionable steps you can take to be more inclusive: 1. Designated spaces: Provide clean, private and comfortable areas for breastfeeding or pumping (this isn't just a nice to have but required by law). 2. Flexible scheduling: Offer flexible working hours and breaks to accommodate breastfeeding needs. 3. Parental leave: Ensure adequate paid parental leave to support parents in the early stages of breastfeeding. 4. Educate and support: Provide resources and support for breastfeeding parents, including access to lactation consultants and information on breastfeeding benefits. 5. Inclusive policies: Develop and promote policies that support all breastfeeding parents, fostering a culture of inclusivity and understanding. Our customer, Powerlink Queensland, is leading the way when it comes to their inclusive breastfeeding practices, programs and support. Take a listen to Barbara Galarce Flores about how her workplace has supported her breastfeeding journey since she returned to work after parental leave. This includes recently enhanced parents' rooms, flexible work arrangements and supportive leadership. #WorldBreastfeedingWeek #InclusiveWorkplace #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #BusinessAustralia #HR #HumanResources #DEI #DiversityandInclusion Liz Fox