Chocolate Milk
- Akeyria` Edwards
- Jan 10, 2017
- 2 min read
Let's discuss this... Why don't black women breastfeed?
Well, first thing first---- I think AMERICAN Black women specifically, have drifted away from breast feeding, and I think it has a lot to do with European influence and the African American experience. This is evidenced by black women who live in areas where African culture is intact. They breastfeed as the primary means of child nourishment.
During enslavement, black women fed the master and mistress' babies with the milk that was supposed to be for their own babies. Working black women back then, and in some cases now, gave in to the demands of those who had/have rule over them. Lack of time and physical ability to produce enough milk for our own babies changed our relationship with breastfeeding.
As our ancestors trudged their way to freedom and equal rights in America, a stigma developed around breast feeding. It was marked as uncivilized/perverted/unsanitary and/or just plain inconvenient. As black women have become more socially and financially independent, the inconvenience of having to make provisions for the milk to get from our breasts to our babies' tummies poses a conflict with time constraints associated with being in the workforce.
Fast-forward to now, and there has clearly been a cultural switch where white women are clear and advocate for the value of breastfeeding... Meanwhile, we are still stuck in our old mentality. I have heard a disturbing number of black women say disparaging things about breastfeeding and then give their children the milk of a cow. I'm no vegan, but something about that just does not sit well with me. I mean for one. cow's milk is for BABY COWS!!! No judgement for anyone who can't or chooses not to--- Our children deserve the best we have to offer. How we define "best" is subjective. I can only hope that if I do reproduce, my body cooperates so that I can feed my baby naturally.
P.s. I'm disappointed in how many people listed laziness/not wanting to eat a clean diet/not wanting to give up weed smoking... like, for real y'all? Is that really what you think most black women are about? I've never heard any black woman list any of those reasons for why she didn't breast feed.
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