Reflections of Black Women Who Choose to Breastfeed: Influences, Challenges and Supports

Abstract

Black women such as our participants are critical partners as we develop systems of care to decrease disparities and increase Black women's successes in breastfeeding. Findings underscore the importance of having diverse, readily available, user-friendly, culturally sensitive options for Black women who choose to breastfeed.

Black/African American Breastfeeding Experience: Cultural, Sociological, and Health Dimensions Through an Equity Lens

“…19,[31][32][33]36 In addition, active inclusion of religious bodies as primary partners in BF promotion with the AA population should be included as part of cultural and sociological targeted interventions. 19,[31][32][33]36 Exemplars for these community-, state-, and tribal-level interventions targeting BF promotion for all women of diversity are supported by the national coalition of organizations, the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC). The USBC is committed to mitigating barriers by addressing the essential components of culturally competent BF care: consider Culture, show Respect, Assess/Affirm differences, show Sensitivity and Self-awareness, and do it all with Humility (CRASH).…”

“…Families, peers, and community persistent support and encouragement for women boosted BF. 19,[31][32][33] The communal networks were instrumental for education, counseling, appraisal, interaction, engagement, successful transitions, positive deviance, reinforcement, and emotional well-being. 26,34,35 The AA women who breastfeed exhibit positive deviance.…”

Hidden Realities of Infant Feeding: Systematic Review of Qualitative Findings from Parents

“…Parents desired professional and individualized instruction regarding infant feeding that was in keeping with their attitudes, beliefs, culture, and feeding decision from various sources [83], including physicians, pediatric nurses, lactation consultants, or professionals working in health care centers or public nutrition programs, described collectively here as health care providers (HCP). In contrast, studies illuminated that many parents found "infant feeding advice, support, and education from their HCP inadequate, missing completely, inconsistent or contradictory" [36][37][38]41,42,44,46,[49][50][51]53,55,57,63,72,74,76,83,97,98,103,104]. As identified within some studies, while it is important to promote and maintain BF, it is also necessary to ensure that the care, education, and needs of parents and their infants that are not BF are met [74,76], without stigmatizing parents who do not BF [68].…”

“…2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 13 a desire for expanded infant nutrition education that included parent's wider community such as family members, rather than only mothers, was identified within some studies [67,79,80,105]. Role models and support groups were noted as important by parents, but perceived as inadequate [38,72,103].…”

Associations of Maternal Beliefs and Distress in Pregnancy and Postpartum With Breastfeeding Initiation and Early Cessation

“…The association we identified between more positive breastfeeding beliefs (per total score and each subscale score) and breastfeeding initiation/longer duration mirror prior findings in the literature suggesting the importance of positive beliefs about breastfeeding in improving breastfeeding rates (Brockway et al, 2017; Brown, 2014). While breastfeeding educational campaigns have done much to create more positive breastfeeding beliefs, we still lack a complete understanding of how cultural factors influence breastfeeding beliefs (Kamoun & Spatz, 2018; Lutenbacher, Karp, & Moore, 2016; Savage, Neshteruk, Balantekin, & Birch, 2016). Connecting cultural expectations to breastfeeding beliefs will help educators and clinicians understand how to emphasize the positive aspects of breastfeeding without undermining cultural traditions in diverse populations.…”