Due to racial disparities that have existed for decades and a complicated history, black moms breastfeed their babes at far lower rates than their white counterparts. To breastfeed or not is never cut-and-dry, and there are many reasons a mother makes this sometimes complicated and very personal choice. I am 100% no judgement. But after having the chance to experience this incredible commitment firsthand, I’m of the mindset that breast was certainly best for both my baby and myself. Throughout my breastfeeding journey, there were so many moments that I wanted to quit. There were tears of frustration, feelings of unrivaled peacefulness and utter amazement at how our bodies know how to provide for our children. Because I was given the choice and had the support, I was able to truly embrace all of the emotions that came along with breastfeeding and commit to this lengthy (and often draining) process.

I was a PET Evaporated Milk - fed baby. Sadly, breastfeeding wasn’t an option for my mother. After delivery, her doctor offered a pill to suppress lactation which - paired with a lack of education and specialized support - took away her choice. Working full-time for a company and in a position that didn’t support a breastfeeding new mama, she returned to work after only 6 weeks. At six week postpartum, I was just starting to get into the groove of being a wife and new mom; I was certainly in no shape to take on my full-time dance teaching position as well. When discussing breastfeeding, it is so important to acknowledge that so many women (especially women of color) are forced back to work before they’ve truly recovered from pregnancy and childbirth. Many MANY kudos to you all, you did that!

My own breastfeeding story began as a conversation between myself and my coworker early on in my pregnancy. She spoke to me about health and nutritional benefits, the connection it would help build with my new baby and the aid it would provide in my postpartum recovery. And the more we spoke, the more I considered it. But I would be lying if I said I knew many black women who’d breastfed their babies - in fact, I could probably count them on one hand. From what I’d seen, breastfeeding was definitely a ‘white woman sort of thing’ and I was hesitant.

But why is that? What makes it so difficult for US to give it a shot? Of course we want to provide our babies with the best start, the best nutrition - so why weren’t all black women breastfeeding at the same rates of white women? I found the answer to be: support, knowledge and resources. Not many of us have these in our lives to give us that push or that guidance we need to just give it a try. My mom didn’t, my grandmother didn’t; so it was up to me to break that cycle if I was to succeed. I became determined to breastfeed MAK until he was at least 6 months old. With the support I received from my family, friends, and employer, as well as the research I did for myself - I was not only able to make that goal happen, but I’ve surpassed it.

Support.

MAK and I had a rough start - born at 35 weeks gestation via C-section due to preeclampsia, we were separated immediately. I was rushed to recovery while MAK was whisked away to the NICU. While I laid in that room - blood pressure monitored, medicated, healing - my body yearned for the little bean that grew inside for the past 8 months. I sobbed watching other new mothers be wheeled in with their little ones while I sat alone. While my husband sat in the NICU with MAK, I touched my newly vacant belly.

Once taken to postpartum recovery, the real work would begin. Nurses taught me how to pump milk for my little one (who was being formula fed while I recovered). Like clockwork, they made sure I pumped every two hours and I took my ‘liquid gold’ to the NICU for MAK to be fed. As we approached day three of our hospital stay, MAK was taken off the feeding tube and we began bottle feeding with my breast milk. Finally, the moment I had been waiting for was finally here - with a lactation consultant and NICU nurse nearby - I held him close and positioned his tiny lips to my breast. Using a nipple guard and my hand to help get him in the proper place, he latches! It took a while and OH MY GOD YA’LL, IT HURT, but we were on our way.

Help at the hospital, at home and in the workplace undoubtedly made my breastfeeding journey a success. At home, during feedings my husband would make sure I had everything I needed. Including the encouragement to keep going when I was exhausted, stressed. My husband is a problem solver and there was a week or so where my milk just wasn't coming like before, I was becoming more stressed so he sought out some solutions. He brought home Yogi’s Mother’s Milk tea and a Lactation Cookie recipe that I swear by to this day. 

At work, I was encouraged to create a pumping schedule to ensure that I wasn’t interrupted during those times. Honestly, privacy with teenagers is non-existent. My students - as much as I love them - were all up in my business. But I embraced their wanting to understand better and opened myself up to having those important conversations... conversations that were never had with me as a young adult. I was met with a lot of ‘yucks’ or ‘I can’t believe you’re milking yourself!’. Working in a predominantly black school, I wasn’t surprised. The concept was super foreign to them as it had been for me. As more Q&A sessions happened, I realized how much black women (and our breasts) have been hyper-sexualized throughout history and that we’ve grown uncomfortable with the real use for our bodies’ most important functions. By the end of these conversations, many of my students proclaimed that they ‘would breastfeed their babies one day’ and I felt like I had made a difference in their way of thinking.

Knowledge.

The first month and a half were the hardest. My nipples were raw, sensitive and painful. I started to dread feedings - which were every 2 - 3 hours and only afforded me about 45 minutes of sleep when paired with prepping and pumping. My husband recalls hearing me yelp when MAK finally latched properly - placing his gums and tongue around my areola - after many failed attempts and clamping onto my nipple. By the way, a bad latch with your little one on your nipple is a no-no. You’ll want to stick your finger in their mouth to break the seal and start over. Frustrating as it may be, you want them to latch properly every time. A poor latch equals pain and can lead to long-term nipple damage. Learning how to make this complex relationship between my baby and I work was key to my overall success.

The initial latch feels like that instant pain you feel when you stub your toe... but on your areola and it does not let up. It’s typically not a fairy tale moment and takes lots of time, practice and adjustment (for both mom and babe). But once you have this down, it is the most beautiful experience. Looking back, the midnight to 3 AM wailing episodes where only Mommy would do made the lack of sleep well worth it.

Some other important things I learned through my own breastfeeding research were:

Breast Milk

• Protects baby against allergies and eczema

• Causes them less stomach ache, diarrhea, and constipation than formula

• Lessens the risk of SIDS

• Helps prevent ear infections

• Changes in order to meet the health and nutritional needs of your babe. When MAK had his first (and, to date) only cold at 4 months of age, my milk changed colors. I was alarmed, but learned from other mamas that this was totally normal and that ‘the mammary glad receptors... [recognize] bacteria and viruses and, if they detect something amiss... mum’s body will actually change the milk’s immunological composition, tailoring it to the baby’s particular pathogens by producing customized antibodies”. Your body is ALWAYS working to meet your child’s needs.

• Breastfeeding also allows you to recover more quickly from childbirth by releasing increased levels of oxytocin and shrinking your uterus back to size more quickly. Those hormones also helped me avoid postpartum depression, flatten my tummy down more quickly and delay my cycle (didn’t miss that!). Thank you, breastfeeding!

MAK is 10 months old and transitioning well to table foods. While it’s exciting to watch him grow into (and love!) this next stage, I can’t help but be sad for this special time for us to come to a close. He needs me now only for naps and bedtime, but I’m so happy that we hung in there and made this work. I feel like my commitment to breastfeeding was the healthiest option for us both and laid the groundwork for the amazing bond we share today.

Resources.

If you’re thinking about breastfeeding (which I hope you do!), here are some black breastfeeding support systems to help. Let’s break the cycle and make this the norm in our community - for ourselves and our babies.

• The Black Mother’s Breastfeeding Association

• Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE Inc.)

• Breastfeeding Support Group for Black Moms

• Soul Food for Your Baby

Happy Mommying!

-Britt