A recent report reveals significant racial disparities in breastfeeding rates in St. Louis County. From 2017-2021, only 66% of Black infants were breastfeeding upon hospital discharge, compared to 91% of Asian infants and 86% of white infants.
The reasons for this disparity are complex, ranging from lack of support from medical professionals to the historical trauma of Black women being used as wet nurses during slavery. Even after slavery ended, many Black women continued working as wet nurses for little compensation into the 1940s. When infant formula hit the market, companies aggressively targeted Black families.
Today, systemic barriers like lack of paid parental leave and inflexible working conditions disproportionately affect Black mothers. Hospitals are also twice as likely to provide formula to Black infants than white infants.
Closing this disparity will require providing culturally congruent support for Black breastfeeding parents, advocating for family-friendly policies, diversifying the lactation counseling field, and addressing racial bias in healthcare. Community support for Black mothers has increased in recent years, but more work remains to ensure equitable access to breastfeeding.
See “More Black moms steered to formula” by JoAnn Weaver in the the St. Louis American website (October 4, 2023)
