You should read Blacktating (http://www.blacktating.com/), it's a blog run by a Black mother who addresses exactly that. Actually, there are several organizations run by women of color who address racial and class disparities with support rather than judgment that Elita (the woman who runs Blacktating) links to.
Anyway, I'm not a North American POC so I can't really speak of the article as something that hits home, and I'm sure there are other historical factors at play that explain some of the black breastfeeding rates.
The way breastfeeding works in nonwhite immigrant groups in different countries in Europe is something else again: it's been my impression that many although certainly not all first generation immigrants have better breastfeeding rates than the population at large, which then fall in the next generation as the people adopt the attitudes of those around them. A lot of immigrants and children of immigrants are/remain lower/working class, particularly here in Germany where the school system favours white middle class people in a very divisive way... and lower social class is generally linked with less, not more breastfeeding.
great article and even greater to see such an issue being discussed. especially about lanuage or culture. part of me will never understand how anyone would not breastfeed since it just seems so utterly simple and natural.
not related but in 1959 my grandmother who was of mixed race was told to not breastfeed my aunt since the doctor told her that her breast milk would be "fattening" since she was overweight. still can't believe how disgustingly idiotic that is.
part of me will never understand how anyone would not breastfeed since it just seems so utterly simple and natural.
Not everyone was raised to be comfortable with their bodies or bodily functions. The FN/Metis community here still feels the effects of forced relocations/residential schools on children and families - how can you feel comfortable with breast-feeding if you were taken from your family, never exposed to "natural" child rearing like breast-feeding, and lacked any sort of physical comfort? There are people in the communities who aren't even comfortable hugging their children because the Catholic nuns that abused them instilled such a fear of physical contact. There's also legal issues - if you're in a demographic that may be more likely to have have CFS actively interested in your family, there's a chance you won't have a steady opportunity to breastfeed consistently, Ie; your child has to be cared for by relatives or a foster family. The chances for breastfeeding and/or pumping enough to continue milk production in
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This is a great article. Does anyone know where they got their research on women of color doing better when they have midwives of color? I work in midwifery field (not a midwife myself) and would love to share that with my colleagues, but they didn't cite that source. Any ideas would be helpful, I'm also happy to contact the bloggers personally if no one knows offhand.
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Anyway, I'm not a North American POC so I can't really speak of the article as something that hits home, and I'm sure there are other historical factors at play that explain some of the black breastfeeding rates.
The way breastfeeding works in nonwhite immigrant groups in different countries in Europe is something else again: it's been my impression that many although certainly not all first generation immigrants have better breastfeeding rates than the population at large, which then fall in the next generation as the people adopt the attitudes of those around them. A lot of immigrants and children of immigrants are/remain lower/working class, particularly here in Germany where the school system favours white middle class people in a very divisive way... and lower social class is generally linked with less, not more breastfeeding.
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not related but in 1959 my grandmother who was of mixed race was told to not breastfeed my aunt since the doctor told her that her breast milk would be "fattening" since she was overweight. still can't believe how disgustingly idiotic that is.
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Not everyone was raised to be comfortable with their bodies or bodily functions. The FN/Metis community here still feels the effects of forced relocations/residential schools on children and families - how can you feel comfortable with breast-feeding if you were taken from your family, never exposed to "natural" child rearing like breast-feeding, and lacked any sort of physical comfort? There are people in the communities who aren't even comfortable hugging their children because the Catholic nuns that abused them instilled such a fear of physical contact. There's also legal issues - if you're in a demographic that may be more likely to have have CFS actively interested in your family, there's a chance you won't have a steady opportunity to breastfeed consistently, Ie; your child has to be cared for by relatives or a foster family. The chances for breastfeeding and/or pumping enough to continue milk production in ( ... )
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My mom just kind of wanted her body back after 9 1/2 months of pregnancy.
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