We Haven’t Changed, You DID!

Year after year we read articles and statics, we may even participate in surveys all geared towards understanding why women in the Black community are not breastfeeding. I think the answer is simple, but we are thinking so hard we are missing it. The wrong people are telling our story and educating our community. Black women need to hear the importance of breastfeeding to give our children the best start from other Black women.

I have decided to give my answers to just a few of the questions that women ask me on a regular basis:

So why aren’t more Black women speaking on breastfeeding? No one really wants to hear the true answer to this question, but it comes from our history in the US. Black women have been bred to be strong, hardworking, sexy, and depending on the area you live very well-educated. Unfortunately, the idea of being maternal has gotten lost. Understand when I say “maternal” I don’t mean not wanting a family or even having the ability to bond with your child. Instead I am speaking on a deeper level. Breastfeeding your child connects you with your child on a spiritual level. It boosts the health of both Mother and child, and allows your child’s mind to work on a level that surpasses anything we ever thought possible.

Why the heck does every conversation always come back to the history of Blacks in America? Because without knowing it, our history is the foundational base for every thought we have. Just think about it and ask yourselves a few questions. If our milk is so inferior why do you think you were allowed to breastfeed the master’s child? If Blacks bonding with our children wouldn’t make them the extraordinary human beings we were meant to be, then why weren’t we allowed to breastfeed our own children?

By not talking about who we are, where we really come from and what we went through to get to where we are now we put ourselves at risk. We have been programmed and conditioned to only acknowledge parts of our history, of ourselves. Our history is swept under the rug and ignored because to sit down and have an honest discussion about the impact we suffer now would say that we have failed ourselves. But not talking is the underlining cause of our problems. We need to learn lessons from our elders in order to understand the right path to travel. The voices of those who have come before us have been silenced and we are struggling, trying to figure out things on our own.

Without guidance we are open to so many outside influences. This is why the media is so dangerous to a community with no vocal elders. We are left at the mercy of people with money to advertise on TV, magazines and the internet. They decide what we will and won’t learn, and tell us what to accept and what to be outraged about without us ever realizing that we are being controlled because we have no path laid for us by our elders.

We have gotten so lost that women have to fight to nourish their children the best way known to mankind. Women make statements like “it’s my body and I choose what happens to it” without anyone questioning it. When pregnant you do the best you can to ensure you give birth to the healthiest child possible. However, your commitment to your child should not end in the labor and delivery room. Your child needs to survive off of Mom and Mom alone for at least the first 6 months of life. After that, you can slowly start to wean them and teach them to survive without you.

We live in a world where we see a photo of a Mother in a cap and gown, graduating from College and instead giving her a round of applause for completing her education we condemn her for caring for her child while receiving her degree. We see a 2 year old’s hair in an afro and we start a petition for her parents to comb her hair because you are ready for her to grow up and fall into a certain category. Or a school removes a child who is making all A’s from school because her family decides to teach her how to love herself the way she was born instead of trying to fit a specific mold.

This is why I have decided to create The History of My Chocolate Milk documentary and our View From A Rack Blogtalk Radio Show. It’s time for us to start laying a path for the next generation so they can build off educated information instead of being controlled and bullied.

Tuesdays at 9:00 PM EST – 8:00 PM CST.  Breastfeeding Mothers Unite brings to the airwaves our blogtalk show, “View From A Rack”.

Afrykayn Moon & Rebecca Artis will be Co-Hosting one of the most dynamic and innovative shows to hit the airwaves. “View From A Rack” is a representation of its hosts. A provocative, controversial, must-hear blog talk show. Moon & Rebecca interviews countless guests from the community; getting their take on breastfeeding, natural child-birth and involving Men in the process. Moon & Rebecca pushes forward to reeducate the masses on why we need breastfeeding support and their passion will grab you and keep you wanting more.

Be sure to click on blogtalkradio.com/viewfromarack to tune into our show tonight.

In the meantime visit out facebook page https://www.facebook.com/viewfromarack for updates, guest list and much more.

Email Breastfeeding Mothers Unite: bfmunite@gmail.com or call (313) 757-2378