by Beth Suraphel
What common preventive act works to protect us against all of these health diseases? If you guessed breastfeeding, then you're right. If you didn’t, then hopefully by the end of this article you'll see why.
Were you breastfed as a child? How do you feel about breastfeeding? Are you planning on breastfeeding your child?
Growing up, I witnessed my mother breastfeeding my little brother and hearing my family members encourage breastfeeding for as long as possible. I never actually knew the benefits of breastfeeding, but I knew it was the preferred feeding method over baby formula. However, I was shocked when I learned this summer, working with Emory's Center for Children's Health, the Environment, the Microbiome and Metabolomics, that breastfeeding rates were actually the lowest amongst African American women.
Most likely your perception or beliefs about breastfeeding are rooted to your experiences or your familial experiences with breastfeeding. In the United States, there is a common socially stigmatized perception of breastfeeding as something that should be done covered or behind closed doors. Currently, forty-seven states allow breastfeeding without any cover-up exempt from indecency laws. However, the social and cultural stigmas still persist, especially amongst minority women. Unfortunately, minority women are also at an increased risk of ailments such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity but have the lowest rates of breastfeeding. African American women in particular exhibit the lowest rates of breastfeeding at 64.3% in comparison to white women at 81.5%.
So, you may be asking why does race play such a significant factor in the rates of breastfeeding? Some of the major factors contributing to the decreased rates amongst African American women are that they are more likely to return to work quickly after childbirth, and also are more likely to work in environments that do not support public breastfeeding. In addition, African American women are also at an informational disadvantage of the benefits of breastfeeding and the risks of not engaging in breastfeeding. Some African American women see breastfeeding as a type of inconvenience in that they will have to give up their daily lifestyle habits due to the perceived stigma of breastfeeding in western cultures.
In efforts to ameliorate the low rates of breastfeeding, non-profit organizations like the African-American Breastfeeding Alliance have been established to provide lactation consulting, workshops, and trainings for future nurses. Some practitioners have also stopped providing free formula to new mothers in efforts to increase breastfeeding. Positive efforts like the aforementioned have led to an increase in breastfeeding amongst African American women.
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