Hey mamas, it’s Black Breastfeeding Week. Here’s what you need to know to navigate your feeding journey.
Breastfeeding is often painted as the most natural thing in the world—but for many new moms, the journey comes with unexpected challenges, learning curves, and moments of doubt. From getting the right latch to understanding your body’s rhythms, preparation can make the difference between frustration and flow.
For Black mothers especially, choosing to breastfeed can mean pushing past stigmas, seeking support, and embracing community.
Whether you’re planning to nurse for weeks, months, or beyond, here’s how to equip yourself with knowledge, confidence, and tools to make your breastfeeding journey as empowering as it is nourishing—before baby gets here.
Consider a Prenatal Breastfeeding Class
Breastfeeding can’t be difficult, right? You put your nipple in the baby’s mouth and they instantly receive milk. That may be an ideal scenario but it often isn’t the way it pans out for new moms. For this reason, expecting mamas should consider taking a prenatal breastfeeding class. It’s a way to engage in hands-on learning by exploring the fundamentals of breastfeeding and asking questions, says Deidra Washington, an international board-certified lactation consultant and owner of Love on Top Lactation.
“My prenatal breastfeeding classes are so much fun and we talk about everything from poop diapers to how to wean,” she says. “I remind people that breastfeeding is not a new thing and we’ve done it since the beginning of time, encouraging moms that their body grew an entire baby and now it’ll be able to feed the baby. My job is to set realistic expectations about feeding because the Internet lies to parents.”
In addition to taking a class, you can also self-educate using resources like mom groups on social media and content on the La Leche League website.
Understand Breastfeeding Isn’t ‘Natural’ for Everyone
One of the most surprising things new moms may encounter is that breastfeeding doesn’t happen naturally for everyone. It can be both confusing and frustrating when the process doesn’t play out the way you hope.
Vella Ellerbe, a holistic wellness practitioner, Matrescence coach, and owner of Mamas Who Breathe, faced challenges her first time nursing. The entrepreneur has three children, and her eldest didn’t latch during her first attempt at nursing. After an unsuccessful appointment with a lactation nurse, Ellerbe ended up pumping every two hours for twelve months. However, the second time around, the mom of three alternated between bottle feeding and latch feeding until her body stopped producing milk, at which point she transitioned to formula at nine months. Her third child, who is now four months, is exclusively breastfed.
Although breastfeeding wasn’t a natural occurrence the first time around, Ellerbe learned and adapted each time.
“The difference between me now and eleven years ago and nine years ago is that I have more self-trust. I trust my body. I trust my baby, and I trust that I don’t know what I don’t know,” she says.
“If I had any advice to give to a new mom, it is to get the support that you need. You’ll hear people say it’s such a natural process, and the newborn will latch on its own, and that is true. But, also, if you don’t know what you’re doing or you don’t feel confident in what you’re doing, you won’t do it well,” she adds.
That said, be open to trying different approaches to nursing and ultimately doing what works best for you and your baby.
Have a Team of Professionals on Standby
You don’t have to wait until the baby arrives to build a team. You probably have more time to do it now than later. A team of lactation professionals that can help you with nursing challenges that arise or just offer support with pom poms in hand, includes:
- International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) – they can help with complex clinical issues
- Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs) – may be good for general support and normal feeding
- Breastfeeding counselors and educators – they can provide counseling in hospital and community settings
If you have no clue where to start with finding professionals, a birth network in your community can be a launching point, says Washington. You can also utilize platforms like Chocolate Milk Cafe or Zip Milk to find lactation professionals. The Irth app is another option. It provides prenatal, birthing, postpartum and pediatric reviews of care from other Black and brown women.
In terms of when you should call a professional for help, it can be any time you’re experiencing difficulty nursing. For instance, if you’re feeling pain while feeding your baby, you shouldn’t be. That could be an indicator that you need professional support.
“Pain is not normal,” Ellerbe explains. If you feel pain, then you should get help right away. It’s nothing you should suffer through.”
Common issues include challenges with the baby latching onto your nipple, sore nipples, low milk supply, thrush, plugged milk ducts, inflammation of the breast (mastitis), and inverted nipples.
Leverage Support From Your Community
Beyond having lactation specialists readily available, new moms need to arrange support from their immediate community. By community support, I mean having people to help with daily tasks so that you can focus on nursing, which can be time and energy-consuming. This can be especially important within the first few weeks, says Penelope Hensley, a mother of three and owner of The Being Sound Healing Center in Missouri City, Texas.
“The first two weeks will be crucial with just learning yourself again [and] learning the baby,” says Hensley, who is a mom of three. She is currently nursing a newborn, and also nursed her second child. “You need someone that can make meals and wait on you hand and foot because you’re going to be so engulfed with the newborn that you’re not gonna be able to think for yourself,” she says.
The right foods can help boost your milk flow, so having meals readily available can make nursing easier. The wellness entrepreneur also suggests having all of the essentials you need to breastfeed on hand, including items like nipple shields, a breast pump, protein, snacks, and coconut water to stay hydrated.
If you don’t have family or friends who can support you with making meals, cleaning, or handling other household chores, consider budgeting for external help. A night doula can also be a gem that provides overnight support so you can sleep in between feeds.
Plan to Connect With Fellow Nursing Mothers
Community support can and should extend beyond your home when you’re nursing. Building a community of moms who also nurse can break up the monotony of your daily routine, give you a chance to have adult conversations, and provide a source of moral support.
“Other moms are looking for community just as much as you are when you’re feeling nervous to go out of the house. So find little safe places like a baby cafe in your area,” says Washington.
Identify locations where you can nurse and connect with other moms once the baby gets here. As Washington mentioned, Baby Café USA, a network of free, drop-in, informal breastfeeding support groups that provide ongoing professional lactation care, is an option. You can also consider joining local Facebook groups or the Peanut App to arrange nursing dates in public spaces with other moms.
Stay the Course and Focus on Your “Why”
It’s easy to throw in the towel on breastfeeding, especially when you’re faced with challenges you didn’t anticipate. However, keep your “why” in mind and garner as much support as you can to help you stay on the nursing course.
“My advice for moms is to not give up,” says Jameka Alexander, a mother of one. “It’s really uncomfortable at first. And it can be a little bit painful. His tongue was like sandpaper on my nipple for the first two weeks and my midwife just kept telling me to stick it out and I’m glad that I did,” she says.
“Those times when I was breastfeeding were the sweetest most peaceful moments with my son, so if breastfeeding is what you wanna do, really just be committed to doing that and then make sure that you have support and a plan.”