• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Health & Wellness

14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding

In honor of Black Breastfeeding Week, we're celebrating Black moms from all over who are bravely sharing their breastfeeding journey.
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
By Jasmine Grant · Updated December 6, 2020

Happy Black Breastfeeding Week! This very important week of awareness was created not only to celebrate Black motherhood but also to correct the racial disparities that hinder Black women from given their babies the most important kind of nourishment.

Studies have shown that Black infants had a significantly lower rate of breastfeeding at age 3 months (58 percent) than that of White infants (72.7 percent). According to the CDC, increased breastfeeding among Black women could decrease infant mortality rates by as much as 50 percent. Breastfeeding has also been proved to reduce the likelihood of children developing future health conditions like asthma, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

There are a number of reasons for that gap. Black mothers disproportionately experience a number of barriers to initiating and continuing their breastfeeding journey. This includes lack of knowledge about breastfeeding, lack of support from family and friends, lack of support from the health care industry, and work demands. Not to mention there’s also the social stigma of women made to feel ashamed for breastfeeding their children in public settings. This is why the social media hashtag #normalizebreastfeeding has been picking up steam over the past few years.

In honor of Black Breastfeeding Week, which seeks to improve these statistics and give Black women the tools and encouragement they need to continue their breastfeeding journey, we’ve rounded up a beautiful gallery of Black moms normalizing breastfeeding.

*Editor’s note: All of the women pictured in this article haven given ESSENCE permission to use their photographs for this purpose.

Breastfeeding Resources
“Because All Breastfeeding Journeys are Not the Same”

Know Your Rights-Lactation/Paid Family Leave:

A Better Balance

Mental Health:

Shades of Blue

NICU:

March of Dimes: My NICU Baby App March of Dimes Facebook Support Group

Exclusively Pumping:

Black Pumping Mamas FB Group

Breastfeeding After Reduction:

Breastfeeding After Reduction

General Support:

BLACK MOMS BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP BLACK BREASTFEEDING MAMAS CIRCLE
NOLA Baby Cafe
WIC Breastfeeding Support

La Leche League
KellyMom
ROSE
Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association

American Academy of Pediatrics
International Lactation Consultant Association

March of Dimes

Office on Women’s Health
Breastfeeding Support Groups in Your Area​

Hormonal Support:

Breastfeeding Without Birthing: A Breastfeeding Guide for Mothers through Adoption, Surrogacy, and Other Special Circumstances​

State Breastfeeding Coalition Links:

Your State’s Breastfeeding Coalition

01
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @thekylacarlos
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
02
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @missquinette
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
03
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @loveesj
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
04
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @_brookeangelique
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
05
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @midnightolive
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
06
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @black_and_breastfed
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
07
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @sincerely_mo_xo
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
08
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @mrs_cwolf
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
09
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @definedmama
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
10
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @napturallydany
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
11
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @blairpysngr, co-creator of @post21shop
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
12
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @pslovemissnikki
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
13
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @palesa_mpofu
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
14
Black Breastfeeding Week 2020
Photo: @aishaandlife
14 Empowering Photos Of Black Women Normalizing Breastfeeding
TOPICS:  black breastfeeding week Black motherhood Black mothers essence festival of culture fullsession Keyshia Cole Ryan Michelle Bathe UnBossed Women
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now