My breastfeeding journey – Black Health Matters

Breastfeeding is not easy, but I am happy not to have abandoned.
I did not grow up around mothers who are breastfeeding, but I felt led to try it. I really believe that Fed is the best, but after making a miscarriage, I want to trust my body again. I wanted to honor his ability not only to create life, but to feed it. Choosing breastfeeding has become a part of my healing, a calm way to recover my strength and celebrate what my body could do.

Breastfeeding benefits the mother and baby.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, followed by continuous breastfeeding accompanied by solid foods for at least two years and beyond, as mom and baby wished.
Honestly, I did not know what breastfeeding really involved or what to expect, and I was certainly not prepared how difficult it would be.
Almost two and a half years and two babies later, we are still going strong.

The first days

At first, breastfeeding was painful. My nipples cracked and bleed. My baby did not lock well. I was exhausted, overwhelmed and wondering why something so natural was so hard. There were nights when I cried while she is breastfeeding. I was in pain and I didn’t know if I could do it much longer. If we are honest, there were times when I feared nursing care because of the painful. I found myself counting on the days until my body told me that I had finished.

I’m happy to have continued.

When I think back at that time, I often wonder why I continued. What did I have to prove? Because Fed was the best, right?

Black women have specific challenges and need multiform support

At that time, I did not know that many black women find it difficult to get help for breastfeeding. Black women have the lower initiation and continuation of breastfeeding of any racial group in the United States according to the CDC, only about 73% of black mothers start in breastfeeding compared to an overall initiation rate of around 84%. The solution to this disparity is multiple, but we should not have to fight to feed our babies. I did not know how rare it was to see a lactation consultant who looked like me or understood our specific difficulties as black women. I did not know that systemic disparities made this experience even more complicated for mothers like me.

I very questioned my breastfeeding experience. What I learned later is that breastfeeding can be difficult, especially without support. Many black women face additional challenges, including access to lactation consultants, access to mothers and hospitals adapted to babies, higher pressure to return to work and even cultural stigmatization. I quickly realized that even having the resources to breastfeed our babies is a privilege.

Why breastfeeding is important

We should not have to choose between our jobs and our health. We should not be ashamed of having decided to breastfeed or not. As my daughter was three months old, we had found our pace.

Nursing has become our calm time together, our reset. When I left pregnant, our trip naturally ended. I listened to my body when he was ready to focus on my growing son. We weaned slowly, just after having 18 months. It was soft to be.

Now, I treat my son with a little more wisdom, knowledge and much more grace.

Here are four lessons that I learned along the way:

1. Ask for help. If possible, ask for a lactation consultant before leaving the hospital. If this is not an option, search for local or virtual support groups. My sister-in-law and my colleague nursing mom were my saving grace, especially during these first days. My insurance also paid nursing visits to home and I received additional lactation support from a certified lactation consultant. See what insurance advantages for which you can be eligible for.
2. Defend for yourself. If something feels, talk. The painful reception, the blocked ducts and the low -milk supply are not things that you need to “push” without help, and they are often the result of deeper problems. Ask if your baby should be assessed for language or lip ties. Your experience is important and your concerns deserve attention.
3. Ignore the noise. Everyone has opinions, including family, friends and even foreigners. You alone know what works best for your baby and your body. Whether you are attending for two weeks, two years or not at all, always remember that the Fed is the best.
4. Take care of yourself. Breastfeeding can drain your energy physically and mentally, especially during these first postpartum days. Add to go back to work while keeping your household afloat, and professional exhaustion can sneak quickly. Keep the snacks and water nearby, rest when you can and don’t forget that you have given birth to a human. Your body and mind heal. Give yourself grace.

It is a trip that is worth taking

I will not claim that everything was magic. There were days that I hated pumping, the nights when I dreamed of sleeping without wake up soaked, and many moments that I felt weak and defeated. With hindsight, I am grateful to have continued not only for the nutritional advantages, but for the link he built between me and my babies.

Breastfeeding gave me new respect for my body. It reminded me that strength does not always seem graceful. More importantly, it connected me to a powerful inheritance of black maternity, the one I am proud to postpone.

We deserve more support

The month of August is the national month of breastfeeding and the week of black breastfeeding is celebrated during the last week of August. If we want to help fill the gap and reduce breastfed disparities, we must work on a positive change. We must invest in community initiatives and education, train and hire more black lactation consultants, and end stigma in our own families and circles.

Nursing is a personal decision that deserves care, dignity and support for each stage.

To start mothers, trust your instinct, do your research, look into the community and know that you are not alone. Your trip may not be perfect, but it’s yours. You do an incredible job.

Resources:

Overview of breastfeeding: AAP.ORG

Newborn and nourished breastfeeding. AAP. Org

Racial and ethnic disparities in the initiation of breastfeeding: CDC.gov