Earlier this month, we talked about the gifts of breastfeeding for National Breastfeeding Month. Now we want to close out the 31-day recognition with breastfeeding resources for Black women. Continue on to learn more about 11 organizations that are committed to seeing positive change surrounding Black maternal health.
African American Breastfeeding Network
Based out of Milwaukee, WI, the African-American Breastfeeding Network is on a mission to enhance the outcomes of maternal child health. The organization strives to advocate for breastfeeding practices. Established in 2008 by Angelia Wilks-Tate and Dalvery Blackwell, AABN offers community breastfeeding support, doula care and backing for those dealing with pregnancy and infant loss.
Black Girls’ Breastfeeding Club, LLC
The Black Girls’ Breastfeeding Club blends education, resources, and cutting-edge research to advocate for breastfeeding among Black women. They also validate and integrate the unique breastfeeding experiences of Black mothers. Founded by Dr. Ayanna Robinson, BGBC strives to shift breastfeeding attitudes among Black women and girls through culturally relevant tools and positive breastfeeding images. Dr. Robinson is also the creator of bEarthWork, an app that facilitates the connection between Black women and birthing individuals to education offered by Black birthworkers and health professionals.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
The Black Mamas Matter Alliance advocates for Black maternal health with a strong focus on human rights, reproductive justice, and birth justice frameworks. Prioritizing Black women’s leadership, BMMA provides training and technical assistance to organizations, maternity-care service providers, academia and more. Their main goal is to address maternal mortality and morbidity and enhance Black maternal health. The Black Mamas Matter Alliance website offers a wide range of resources such as webinars, virtual events, literature, key readings and more.
Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association
Based out of Detroit Michigan, the Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association is a non-profit organization seeking to diminish racial injustices affecting breastfeeding support for Black women. Since 2007, BMBA has been serving the community and advocating for families. They offer a community-based doula program, breastfeeding education, workshops and trainings, and more. The BMBA is also the creator of the Birth & Breastfeeding Leadership Institute. The virtual program offered nationally focuses on cultivating leaders who seek to address racial inequities in maternal-child health on a community level.
Chocolate Milk Cafe
Chocolate Milk Café seeks to provide culturally appropriate care, support, and education for Black families across the nation and locally. Founded by perinatal nurse and breastfeeding educator, Hakima Tafunzi Payne, the Chocolate Milk Café, is currently active in 11 states, as well as Canada. Chapters are led by certified facilitators trained to provide peer-to-peer support. They currently offer one-hour introductory classes on breastfeeding, individual carrier support, celebratory recognition of member successes and more.
CinnaMoms
What started as work being done with he PFHE WIC Program has grown into a network of support circles that explore and address breastfeeding needs in the Black community. CinnaMoms began in 2015 with an aim to cultivate safe spaces for Black women to discuss breastfeeding practices, views, and experiences. To better meet the needs of their community, CinnaMoms Crenshaw in Los Angeles is described as a “non-traditional WIC center” and serves as a safe haven for mothers to comfortably enjoy when getting WIC services.
Kindred Space LA
Located in South Los Angeles, Kindred Space LA is a birthing center created to affect positive change among Black maternal health. Started by certified professional midwives Allegra Hill and Kimberly Durdin, Kindred Space offers complete midwifery care with the option to birth at their LA Birth Center or in the comfort of your own home. Along with prenatal care, postpartum care and medical support during labor, they also offer additional services. Parents can find childbirth education classes, virtual and in-person new mom’s support groups, yoga classes, and prenatal breastfeeding classes.
Melanin Mothers Meet
Melanin Mothers Meet, also known as M3, is based out of Tallahassee, Florida. Since 2016, they have been providing workshops, events, seminars, and support for Black women locally and virtually. For new moms, M3 provides a postpartum care task force. Rooted in community, mothers receive assistance in childcare, cooking, stress management, and companionship. Founded by Trishay ‘Yata’ Burton, Melanin Mothers Meet provides womb care support, postpartum care, and breastfeeding guidance. To assist with the ever-evolving journey of parenting, M3 also offers P.O.P.S., the Principles of Problem Solving (POPS), a children’s program using social emotional learning to teach life skills and problem solving.
Nourish & Thrive
Nourish & Thrive is committed to seeing growth in the accessibility, representation, and support of breastfeeding in Black communities. This non-profit focused on equity provides webinars and workshops focused on prenatal breastfeeding and lactation education. Having valuable support during breastfeeding can help to improve the process and mothers’ experiences. Nourish and Thrive provides funding for lactation support, benefiting those who may not have adequate family assistance.
Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) Inc.
Founded in July 2011, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere is a nonprofit organization with a mission to significantly impact and shift inequities in breastfeeding among Black women. ROSE offers a multitude of programs for families including peer-to-peer support, virtual breastfeeding assistance, and much more. Their ROSE Community Transformers (RCT) training program teaches the necessary skills to provide lactation counseling. Trainees also learn how to navigate and refer breastfeeding resources within the community.
The Perinatal Health Equity Initiative
Based out of New Jersey, The Perinatal Health Equity Initiative was founded by Dr. Natassia K. Harris. After opening a lactation practice, she became aware of the large number of Black women who lacked breastfeeding support. Created in 2018, the PHEI provides free mom-to-mom breastfeeding support groups, health education, mental health support, and lactation assistance. One of the programs, Mamas in Bloom, was designed to improve the maternal health outcome for Black Women in New Jersey. Enrolled mothers receive access to breastfeeding support, postnatal navigation, childbirth education, transportation assistance and more.
We’re always looking to share breastfeeding resources for Black women. Let us know in the comments below of other organizations that we should know about!
Rashida A. Marshall, MS is the creator of AFIYA Magazine, a digital health and lifestyle publication for Black women. This creative venture grew out of her love for learning, teaching, and sharing valuable wellness information to help improve the quality of life. Rashida is also a Pilates and dance instructor specializing in women’s health.
