Why Are Black Women The Least Likely To Breastfeed? Examining Barriers To Black Breastfeeding

Image Source: Mila’s Keeper

Aug 28, 2024 Story by: Editor

Black Breastfeeding Week began on August 25th, focusing on the racial disparities in breastfeeding rates. Held during National Breastfeeding Month, this week highlights the challenges Black women face in initiating breastfeeding. A 2023 report revealed that Black women were the least likely to begin breastfeeding compared to other racial and ethnic groups. These disparities stem from systemic racism within American childcare, starting at conception. This article delves into the historical context and provides strategies to address these inequities.

Historically, during slavery in the antebellum South, enslaved Black women were forced into wet-nursing, where they breastfed the children of white slave owners. As detailed by Emily West and R.J. Knight in a 2017 article , “As a form of exploitation specific to slave mothers, enforced wet-nursing constituted a distinct aspect of enslaved women’s commodification.” This exploitation has lingering psychological effects that continue to influence Black women's decisions regarding breastfeeding.

Aggressive marketing of baby formula to Black communities is another factor contributing to the racial gap in breastfeeding. In 1946, after the first recorded birth of Black quadruplets to a Black Cherokee mother, Annie Mae Fultz, Dr. Fred Klenner, who delivered the babies, arranged a deal with St. Louis Pet Company. This deal promoted formula as a healthier alternative to breastfeeding in the Black community. As Andrea Freeman notes in her book Skimmed : Breastfeeding, Race, and Injustice, “through Pet Milk’s bold marketing scheme, many Black women became convinced that formula was just as healthy as, or even healthier than, breast milk.” Freeman also highlights how the lack of positive images of Black women breastfeeding has exacerbated these disparities.

Latham Thomas, a leading advocate for Black maternal health and founder of the Mama Glow Foundation, echoed this sentiment. “Compared to their white counterparts, Black mothers and birthing people are less likely to initiate breastfeeding—and once they start breastfeeding, they are less likely to continue the practice for long enough to confer the benefits onto their infants,” said Thomas. She added, “Black women are less likely to receive community support postpartum, [are] more likely to have to return to work shortly after birth, and less likely to have intergenerational examples of breastfeeding success.”

A 2015 study identified key factors that contribute to these disparities, such as Black women returning to work sooner than others and often having work schedules that make breastfeeding challenging. Other barriers include a lack of awareness of breastfeeding laws and policies, along with cultural stigmas. A 2023 qualitative study affirmed that these issues continue to hinder Black women from exclusively breastfeeding. Netta Jenkins , CEO of Aerodei, shared her personal experience, saying, “My breastfeeding experience was incredibly painful, both physically and emotionally. Society often emphasizes that breastfeeding is the best option for your baby, and while that is true, there’s a significant stigma attached when you can’t produce enough milk.” Jenkins emphasized the need for more resources to support Black mothers facing obstacles in breastfeeding.

One effective strategy to combat these disparities is providing greater access to doula support. Research shows that doula assistance significantly increases breastfeeding initiation. Latham Thomas’s Mama Glow Foundation and its First Foods Justice Breastfeeding Certificate Program for Doulas aims to address this issue. According to Thomas, the program’s goal is to “train and certify 100 community care workers and doulas as Community Lactation Educators, serve marginalized people with lactation support and to measure the outcomes and capture feeding success experiences within the program.” Despite progress, Black women still lag behind other groups in breastfeeding initiation due to systemic barriers like inflexible work conditions, lack of support, and societal stigmas. Addressing these disparities requires ongoing education, targeted interventions, and stronger workplace policies to ensure that Black mothers and birthing people have the necessary information and support to breastfeed successfully. Source: Forbes