Breastfeeding Challenges for Black Women
Work Over Breastfeeding
Kimarie Bugg: “We go back to work earlier. A woman could have a baby on Thursday and go back to work on Monday. Our women often work in industries that aren’t conducive to taking off (retail, fast food, etc.) They don’t have the luxury of even a 6-8 week maternity leave while other countries have longer maternity leaves.”
Dr. Bruney: “Working mothers or mothers in school believe that they can’t breastfeed if they have to go back to work/school early. They are concerned that the infant may not adjust well, or that they will not be able to maintain breastfeeding. A mother’s breastfeeding rights are supposed to be respected by her employer. As per the New York State Breastfeeding Mother’s Bill of Right, up to 3 years after giving birth breastfeeding mothers are allowed paid or unpaid break time to express breastmilk at the workplace in a private space.”
Breastfeeding in Public
Dr. Bruney: “There is still a lot of scrutiny about breastfeeding in public. Women are free to breastfeed in public or private without being discriminated against.”
Conflicting Information
Dr. Bruney: “Family members including husbands and grandmothers may provide conflicting information about breastfeeding. Attending a class prenatally is often very beneficial for all family members, as well as reaching out to the outpatient support/resources postpartum.”
Healthcare Isn’t Helping
Kimarie Bugg: “Physicians don’t talk to women of color while they’re pregnant about breastfeeding. Physicians have said they’ve read in the literature that women of color don’t breastfeed, so they don’t waste their time talking about it. Our mothers are resource deprived because of it. “
Can’t Give Up the Bottle
Dr. Bruney: “Many women believe that they have to supplement with formula, as “breastmilk is not enough.” They feel more comfortable being reliant on a bottle where they can gauge the volume being consumed by their infant, as opposed to breastfeeding only.”
When and How Long Do I Breastfeed?
Dr. Bruney: “Some women have a hard time initiating breastfeeding in the hospital. Studies have shown that these women who initiate breastfeeding late, usually have less success with breastfeeding and a shorter duration.”
“Women who do extended breastfeeding (over 1 year) are often frowned upon. However women can breastfeed for as long as they feel comfortable.”
Legislation Challenges
Kimarie Bugg: “Divisive legislation about who can and can’t assist with breastfeeding is a barrier to women getting the type of care they need. These laws impact women of color greatly because of their stiff regulations and tendency to benefit populations who take advantage of their results.”
According to the newest report from the CDC the numbers of Black women breastfeeding are increasing, but the gap between Black women and other races are still wide. Organizations like the Kellogg Foundation, Black Mother’s Breastfeeding Association, BlackWomenDoBreastfeed, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and social media pages like Blacktavist and Black Breastfeeding 360 are spreading the message about the importance of breastfeeding.