I am a Black Feminist and a cultural anthropologist – a Black Feminist Anthropologist, though angry Black feminist is probably most accurate. Aside from my ultimate goal of becoming a professor of anthropology until recently I had the desire to fulfill the requirements of being an IBCLC – a Lactation Consultant certified through the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners, but stopped after obtaining a CLE (Certified Lactation Educator certificate). As of recent, I am also an ICTC-trained Full Circle (Provisional) Doula.
Strangely enough one day, I found myself on this pathway advocating breastfeeding so I decided to journal my venture in order to show how I got here, to reflect on where I've been, where I am now, how I am learning and to hopefully share some insight and projections I have for the future. Also, this is a way for me to address different opinions on venturing into this field as a ‘non-traditional’ candidate, and learn from the community around me and others whether they are across town, the country or the world, on what shapes their experiences and attitudes on this custom.
When the universe began to draw me here, an article that came through my facebook feed about breastfeeding among Native American women, caught my eye. But before that for some strange reason I had been thinking quite a bit about it already. I say this was strange because although I have been around the breastfeeding tradition most of my life with family and friends, and even though I am a very involved auntie and othermother to their children, I don't have any of my own, and as of now don't see this changing – save maybe for adoption down the road. I don't think these thoughts came about as a premonition or a period in my life where I was becoming maternal and was fantasizing about having a baby. But for some unknown reason they were just there – and they caused me to click on the article that I may not have otherwise.
My entry point towards breastfeeding advocacy was heartfelt. What I mean by this is when something meaningful or illuminating is going to happen my heart will pick up a signal and begins searching it out, feeling it, and will let on very subtly. I can tell something is there but have no idea what it is all about until later when it is revealed. That was the start of my journey. I literally heard my soul whisper the word ‘breastfeeding,' and from that moment I began to think about it day and night, almost becoming obsessed and I had no idea why – until I began to explore. This exploration was done through reading and finding information on breastfeeding, and talking to people. And the more I explored the more I begin to see the lack of tradition among Black women and especially the absolute devastation this causes – in infant mortality, in infant and maternal health, and in our overall community's health and well-being, and how breastfeeding can help thwart this devastation.
But learning about this lack of tradition was strange for me; I'd grown up around it – around breastfeeding and around breastfeeders; I've known plenty of awesome Black women who've breastfed their children – my grandmother, mother, my sisters, and my friends were some of them. I also know that there were plenty of awesome Black women who don't. I have also come to understand that breastfeeding is an area that has a lengthy list of benefits and complications and a great pool of politics and regardless, every mother wants the best for her child. But when I started to recognize the disparities caused by low breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among this group, is when things became clear. Being able to equip myself with the proper tools and information to help end these disparities is the reason for my heartfelt participation.That's why I’m here.
But learning about this lack of tradition was strange for me; I'd grown up around it – around breastfeeding and around breastfeeders; I've known plenty of awesome Black women who've breastfed their children – my grandmother, mother, my sisters, and my friends were some of them. I also know that there were plenty of awesome Black women who don't. I have also come to understand that breastfeeding is an area that has a lengthy list of benefits and complications and a great pool of politics and regardless, every mother wants the best for her child. But when I started to recognize the disparities caused by low breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among this group, is when things became clear. Being able to equip myself with the proper tools and information to help end these disparities is the reason for my heartfelt participation.That's why I’m here.
But this is a holistic journey. It is not simply a task where I learn the steps of attaching an infant to its mother's breast. That's the easy part. I am exploring this area, examining cultural traditions, rituals, languages, and all aspects of infant feeding and nurturing through the various ways it is expressed and experienced. My dream is to help create and maintain a positive atmosphere for Black women and all women who choose to participate in this wonderful, healthy tradition, and to encourage other women and men to advocate this area – especially those 'non-traditional' ones who, like me, do not have children, and who are often seen as not needing to concern ourselves with this area, to join in.
