African American Breastfeeding Alliance, Inc.

I would like to share with you a very special and necessary organization, the African American Breastfeeding Alliance, Inc. (AABA). While breastfeeding is important for all mothers and babies, there has been a significant decline in breastfeeding within the African American community. My commentary wouldn't do them justice so I'm going to simply paste their self-written introduction below. Enjoy.

The African-American Breastfeeding Alliance, Inc. (AABA) was founded because a disproportionate number of African-American women don’t breastfeed; for the ones that do try, less than 20% breastfeed past six months postpartum (according to a 1997 Ross Laboratories study.) This is paradoxical because the worldwide average for weaning a child from the breast is 41/2 years old. AABA’s mission is to: increase the number of African-American women (and women of African descent) who breastfeed; educate African-American women about the infant and maternal benefits of breastfeeding; provide valuable resources about breastfeeding; offer on-going support to women who decide to breastfeed; and collaborate with other organizations that have an interest in the health and well-being of African-American women and infants. AABA uses a holistic approach to educating women because breastfeeding is both a mental and a physical experience.

To date, AABA is the only non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to educate African-American women, and families, about the maternal, infant and societal benefits of breastfeeding. While there are several websites and books on breastfeeding, none speak directly to the needs of African-American women. Goals set by organizations such as the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, and initiatives such as Healthy People 2010 that address the health issue of pregnant and lactating African-American women, have not created effective interventions to reach these goals. AABA’s objectives directly meet the breastfeeding goals of Healthy People 2010. In fact, Healthy People 2010 states on their website that “…increasing the rate of breastfeeding, particularly among the low-income, racial, and ethnic populations less likely to begin breastfeeding in the hospital or to sustain it throughout the infant’s first year, is an important public health goal.” AABA works to fill the gaps of organizations that have maternal and infant health—specifically breastfeeding—objectives targeting African-American women.

AABA targets pregnant women, initially, during their second trimester, and then follows up right after the birth with continued breastfeeding support and resources. It has been shown that prenatal clinics offering workshops and information on breastfeeding have a positive influence on African-American women who decide to breastfeed. One study suggests, “the prenatal period may be a critical time to influence a prospective black mother’s decision to breastfeed her infant.” (JSPN vol.1, No.1, April-June, 1996.) This study also found that “personalized and well-designed educational resources such as pamphlets, brochures, and videos that deal with the benefits, contraindications and support programs for breastfeeding” prove to be influential in this decision as well.

The dire need for AABA has never been fully explored before. By partnering with health professionals and agencies, AABA is committed to providing quality breastfeeding education, resources and support to African-American women and the healthcare community at-large.