Despite the well-known benefits of breastfeeding – such as decreased incidence of asthma, diabetes, ear and upper respiratory infections, pneumonia and eczema – Black women are more likely to bottle-feed their babies than are white women.
A 2023 study of breastfeeding rates among U.S. women reports that non-Hispanic Black women are least likely to initiate breastfeeding. The reasons are myriad, but perhaps the saddest dates back centuries: Enslaved Black women were forced to serve as wet nurses for their masters’ wives. The term "wet nurse" describes someone who breastfed another woman’s baby.
A painful history
The “traumatic history of Black women during and after slavery as wet nurses for white women means that for some, breastfeeding is associated with a lack of choice,” reads a 2019 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) blog. “This history contributes to whether Black people have the social and societal support to initiate and sustain breastfeeding.”
And there are more heartbreaking and maddening reasons behind the reluctance.
Cultural stigma. “Society has sexualized breasts to the point that people are routinely shamed for breastfeeding,” wrote Amani Echols in the ACLU blog. “Compounding this is the fact that Black bodies have been historically over-sexualized and degraded.”
Healthcare inequity. Black women are three times more likely to die in a pregnancy-related death compared to white women. And the mortality rate for Black infants is twice that of white infants.
The introduction of formula. Formula companies began to rise before World War II. Similac was first sold as a powder in 1923, and Enfamil was introduced in 1959. Both are still on the market today. Some women went to work in factories to aid the war effort. Once that happened, breastfeeding was considered a sign of wealth and privilege.
Lack of support. In 2023, 47% of Black mothers in the U.S. were single mothers. When you don't have your spouse supporting you, it creates barriers to breastfeeding. You’re a single parent; you have to go back to work.
Nursing Mother's Place is a great start
Improving maternal and child health outcomes
Johnson C. Smith University’s (JCSU) Metropolitan College of Professional Studies – a private, historically Black university in Charlotte – offers students a Lactation Consultant Training Program (LCTP) with the mission to improve maternal and child health outcomes for families of color.
Novant Health provides a clinical site for LCTP students. Practical, hands-on experience in their field of study is required to earn professional accreditation as a lactation consultant, childbirth educator or a birth doula, said Laura Corsig, a Novant Health board-certified lactation consultant.
Students who are interested in becoming a lactation consultant often work with Corsig to earn their "IBCLC (International Board of Certified Lactation Examiners) credential, which is the gold standard” from the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.
Once a consultant is board-certified, they can work in a number of places, Corsig said – a hospital, an ob-gyn office, the health department through WIC (the federal government’s nutrition program for low-income women, infants and children) or in private practice.
Breastfeeding services, classes and more
- The Nursing Mother’s Place, with locations across North Carolina, offers daytime visits on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is staffed by experienced lactation consultants who can help promote confidence in breastfeeding and teach techniques for a successful nursing experience.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers can also connect with lactation experts – and other new parents – at a Baby Café. With locations in Winston-Salem and Charlotte and virtually, Baby Cafés meet once a week and are always free.
Other lactation services include:
- Prenatal breast assessments.
- Prenatal breastfeeding classes.
- Back-to-work appointments.
- Breast pumps rentals, as well as baby scales, feeding supplies and other breastfeeding aids.
Find a complete list of services, classes and groups here.
Novant Health’s prestigious designation as a Baby-Friendly USA hospital demonstrates its commitment to supporting all families in their breastfeeding journey. Have questions? The Latch On podcast series is a great place to get started. Want to learn more about breastfeeding services at Novant Health? This is a great place to start.
