Understanding the Racialized Breastfeeding Experiences Among Black Millennials

The World Health Organization recommends 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding for infants. Racial disparities exist, where only 27.9% of black women exclusively breastfeed at 6 months compared to 45.1% of white mothers. Previous research suggests that these disparities are due to a variety of factors, including poor paid leave policies, racism, and bias, but few studies have looked specifically at the experience of black millennial mothers. This qualitative study aimed to understand the racialized experiences of breastfeeding among black millennials and whether or not there are factors to mitigate the effects of racism. Three focus groups were conducted (N = 15) with black millennial mothers. Participants were recruited through social media sites, emails to breastfeeding/black maternal health organizations, and local partnerships. Inclusion criteria included self-identification as a black/African American woman, born between 1981 and 1996, and having at least one child 5 years or younger. Five major themes emerged from the analysis as follows: (1) institutional racism and barriers, (2) challenges to motherhood, (3) black experiences, (4) breastfeeding in the millennial age, and (5) hopes for the community. Results showed that black millennial mothers expressed being treated differently and poorly due to race. While participants reported supporting each other through their breastfeeding journey, this was not specifically a strategy to impact racism/bias. Results also showed that black millennials feel a desire to succeed in breastfeeding to change the narrative about past generations. Further research should explore differences between the breastfeeding experiences and perceptions of black millennials in comparison to that of previous generations.