This timely, up-to-date guide addresses the unique economic and social issues of black women while showing them why and how to breastfeed their children. African American infants are twice as likely to die before their first birthdays as white infants, have the highest rate of asthma of any race and have a 35 percent higher prevalence of childhood obesity than white children. African American women are 2.2 times more likely to die from breast cancer and 30 percent more likely to die from ovarian cancer than white women. All of these health crises can be remedied to some degree with breastfeeding, but virtually all breastfeeding literature on the market fails to speak to the financial, educational and cultural realities of many African American women. The Black Woman's Guide to Breastfeeding addresses the importance of breastfeeding in the African American community and provides all the practical advice African American mothers need to succeed at breastfeeding.

The Little Black Breastfeeding Book is a small reference book that arms women with the emotional tools they will need to nurse their babies through the first year of life. The title is a bit of a play on words as it is small in size and it is black in cover, but it also is directed toward black women as it shares the authors story as a black woman who has breastfed her children and who would like to see more black women do the same. The book in interactive fashion asks a series of questions that a midwife might use to assess readiness to breastfeed. The author intentionally hopes to create a dialogue in small groups of women that will garner support for nursing their babies and delaying weaning. The author sees breastfeeding as an extension of the bond formed between mother and baby during pregnancy. Clearly, prematurity; little or no breastfeeding, early weaning and early and frequent separations between mothers and babies are seen as related plagues on the community and perhaps more importantly as damaging to the health and well-being of the mother. The book also takes a departure from most how-to books targeted for women during pregnancy and uses an interactive format to list what she believes are the most common reasons why mothers fail to nurse their infants and what she believes are the keys to a successful maternal experience of breastfeeding. There will certainly be some controversy as she challenges commonly held beliefs about sleeping with your infant and advice on weaning and the importance of resolving spiritual and emotional issues in parenting. Some may also find the focus on intellectual and emotional issues a welcome departure from many baby books you may receive at your baby shower. The book lists the more common reasons black women dont breastfeed their infants as well as listing what she believes will allow women to succeed at nursing. In a clever way she invites the reader to look inward and to answer those same questions for herself.

Written by black women for black women and sponsored by the National Black Women's Health Project, here is an honest, straight-from-the-heart guide reminiscent of Our Bodies, Ourselves that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual health issues and concerns of black women today. Linda Villarosa is a senior editor at Essence magazine. 175 photos and illustrations.

Born into a tenant farming family in North Carolina in 1946, Mary Louise, Mary Ann, Mary Alice, and Mary Catherine were medical miracles. Annie Mae Fultz, a Black-Cherokee woman who lost her ability to hear and speak in childhood, became the mother of America's first surviving set of identical quadruplets. They were instant celebrities. Their White doctor named them after his own family members. He sold the rights to use the sisters for marketing purposes to the highest-bidding formula company. The girls lived in poverty, while Pet Milk's profits from a previously untapped market of Black families skyrocketed. Over half a century later, baby formula is a seventy-billion-dollar industry and Black mothers have the lowest breastfeeding rates in the country. Since slavery, legal, political, and societal factors have routinely denied Black women the ability to choose how to feed their babies. In Skimmed, Andrea Freeman tells the riveting story of the Fultz quadruplets while uncovering how feeding America's youngest citizens is awash in social, legal, and cultural inequalities. This book highlights the making of a modern public health crisis, the four extraordinary girls whose stories encapsulate a nationwide injustice, and how we can fight for a healthier future.

Tackle breastfeeding challenges with confidence Breastfeeding moms will tell you the process comes with health and convenience benefits‚ and a million questions. Embrace your journey as a mother with this essential breastfeeding book at hand. Lactivate! is a judgment-free advice book with the latest knowledge of breastfeeding, supporting you to make the best decisions for yourself and your family. From solving everyday breastfeeding problems to clearing a plugged milk duct, this guide will help you create the ultimate biological synchronization between you and your child. This breastfeeding book includes: First 90 days—Learn helpful information, like how to optimize your breast pump and how to monitor your milk supply. FAQ—When will your milk come in? Are there foods you can't eat? All your questions are answered. Helpful illustrations—Images explain important information like how your baby should latch, how to identify potential problems, and more. Find out if breastfeeding is right for you with the breastfeeding strategies and principles in Lactivate!

Even when mothers are highly motivated to breastfeed, when faced with obstacles—like pain, worries about milk production, and difficulty pumping—they may begin to question their good intentions. In situations like these, is weaning the best answer? Or are there simple ways to overcome challenges and meet their breastfeeding goals? Breastfeeding Solutions is the perfect book for any new mother who wants quick, practical solutions to common breastfeeding problems. The book includes illustrations, tables and charts, and other visual aids to make it easy to quickly find the answers without wading through hundreds of pages of text. Breastfeeding is one of the best things a mother can do. This book will help mothers overcome the hurdles so they can start cherishing this special time with their child.

Got Milk? Breastfeeding may be natural, but it isn’t always easy. Mama Knows Breast is the essential new-mom’s guide to nursing—full of friendly, frank, and reassuring advice. Here is all the information you need to get through breastfeeding’s ups and downs, including: • How to position your baby for optimum results • How to cope with unexpected leaks, ill-fitting clothes, and sleep deprivation • When, where, and how to breastfeed in public • How your spouse can help • Anecdotes from moms who’ve experienced it all—and lived to tell about it • Tips on pumping, stockpiling, weaning, and more Written by journalist and mom Andi Silverman—with a foreword by pediatrician Dr. Stephanie Freilich—Mama Knows Breast provides the straight scoop on breastfeeding your baby in the real world. Think of it as your new “breast” friend.

There is a global crisis in maternal health care for black women. In the United States, black women are over three times more likely to perish from pregnancy-related complications than white women; their babies are half as likely to survive the first year. Many black women experience policing, coercion, and disempowerment during pregnancy and childbirth and are disconnected from alternative birthing traditions. This book places black women's voices at the center of the debate on what should be done to fix the broken maternity system and foregrounds black women's agency in the emerging birth justice movement. Mixing scholarly, activist, and personal perspectives, the book shows readers how they too can change lives, one birth at a time.

Do you need help promoting breastfeeding to your African-American clients? Katherine Barber, founder of the African American Breastfeeding Alliance and author of The Black Woman's Guide to Breastfeeding, shares her experience and knowledge with you in Lactation Management: Strategies for Working with African-American Moms. Designed for health professionals, Barber discusses: The lower rate of breastfeeding and how prevalent diseases in the African-American community could be impacted by increased breastfeeding rates. The history of African women brought to America and how slavery has impacted breastfeeding in this population. The barriers to breastfeeding for the African-American mother. She then describes how to: Successfully communicate with and counsel your African-American clients. Help African-American mothers return to work and continue to breastfeed. Reach out to the African-American community to get their help in supporting breastfeeding mothers. This book is a must-read for everyone working with African-American pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.