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The African American Breastfeeding Network of Milwaukee was formed to address breastfeeding disparities, increase awareness of the benefits and value of mother's milk, build community allies and de-normalize formula use. Our mission is to promote breastfeeding as the natural and best way to provide optimal nourishment to babies and young children.
AABN Co-Founder and Program Manager attended the First Food Forum: Growing A Movement So All Chidren Thrive in Atlanta, Georgia (February 27-March 1) where she meet and spoke with U.S. Surgeion General Dr. Regina Benjamin
In the Community
Our focus is to normalize breastfeeding by bringing pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and their families together with lactation consultants. Our monthly Community Breastfeeding Gatherings feature a three class series and are held at the Northside YMCA. Our gatherings serve as the bridge connecting mothers from hospital to their home and to their communities.
Supporting Mothers
Mothers connect with lactation consultants and develop a social network that encourages them to reach their breastfeeding goals. Our breastfeeding specialists and peer counselors offer early postpartum (first 3-5 days) home visitation, phone counseling and advocacy to support mothers.
Engaging Fathers
The fathers' peer
advocate leads group discussions with males and provides individual guidance on the benefits of maintaining a breastfeeding schedule and identifying methods to motivate men to become active parents in creating a healthy lifestyle for their children. These methods include goal settings skills, improved communication, cooperative planning and relaxation exercises.
Providing Accurate Information
Dispelling myths about breastfeeding removes one of the greatest barriers to successful breastfeeding for African American mothers. Teaching evidenced-based information, current research and trends and giving expert advice at our Breastfeeding Community Gatherings has proven to build breastfeeding confidence and transform generations of families into breastfeeding advocates.
Making A Difference
AABN has seen continuous growth since its inception and has reached over 800 pregnant women. Mothers who attend our Community Breastfeeding Gatherings are more likely to initiate breastfeeding in the hospital, ask for help when needed and thus reach their breastfeeding goals.
See Us in Action!
AABN is dedicated to educating and empowering families to breastfeed their children
Our Next Gathering
Breastfeeding Disparities
Despite efforts to reduce disparities in breastfeeding, only 44% of African-American women report that they breastfeed compared with 66 and 68% of Hispanic and white women, respectively. According to UNICEF, there is a 14-fold difference in survival rates in the first 6 months, in developing countries, between children who have been breastfed exclusively and non-breastfed children. These disparities in breastfeeding and other key challenges and opportunities in the ongoing mission to encourage and support breastfeeding are discussed in a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers and the Official Journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. The issue presents the proceedings of the Fourth Annual Summit on Breastfeeding, held June 4-5, 2012 in Washington, DC that brought together experts in maternal and infant health and policymakers, with the support of an educational grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The issue is available free on the Breastfeeding Medicine website.
"Breastfeeding Works for Working Mothers"
Employers with
more than 50 employees are required to provide reasonable break times
for nursing mothers to express milk, until the child is one year old.
They also have to provide a private space for pumping which is not a
bathroom and is free from intrusion. Click here for more info.
Frequently Asked Questions: Breaktime for Nursing Mothers
Reasonable Breaktime for Nursing Mothers. It's the Law! Download Pamphlet
