COLUMBIA, S.C. — Black Breastfeeding Week, recently recognized by Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, runs from August 25-31.
Work is being done to raise awareness and change the stigma around Black mothers breastfeeding, which goes back as far as slavery.
“That’s where you get that ick. uh you’re going to do that?” Candace Dru, a local holistic lactation consultant said. “Historically, once colonization happened, Black people were forced when they were enslaved and were forced to nurse white babies. Therefore, they were unable to nurse their own babies.”
Dru says she started doing this work to change that narrative.
“For quite some time, there was no representation. There were no Black lactation consultants. There were no Black midwives," Dru said. "There were no Black community support groups and bridging that gap by setting the example and normalizing.”
For her part, Dru began taking steps to raise awareness.
“This is my second annual photoshoot organizing for Black Breastfeeding Week, and it’s more so to continue the conversation to commemorate the moment because it’s just a week, but it starts a conversation,” Dru said.
It's a conversation that includes the benefits of breastfeeding and health outcomes.
According to the CDC, black infants are 2.5 times more likely to die than their white counterparts.
“Compositions of breastmilk are very unique, and only humans can produce them." Dru said. "It naturally contains antibodies. Its antiviral. It’s anti-parasitic. It’s the first immunization all babies deserve to have.”
Dru said the key to changing the statistics is education and access to resources that provide that kind of education.