Black Maternal Health Week 2023 centers and celebrates Our Bodies Belong to Us: Restoring Black Autonomy and Joy!
Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Black Maternal Health Week is a week-long event ”to build awareness, activism, and community-building to amplify the voices, perspectives and lived experiences of Black Mamas and birthing people.” The week begins each year on April 11th, the International Day of Maternal Health & Rights, to join voices with a global movement for action to raise awareness of global maternal health issues and advocate for respectful, quality, safe, and comprehensive maternal health care.
In light of the steadily alarming rise of maternal mortality in the U.S., which recent data shows has been exacerbated by the pandemic; and amidst growing cases of clear neglect in care in hospital systems immediately after labor and delivery, BMMA continues to highlight and center culturally-congruent practices with a focus on Black Midwifery care and full-spectrum Black-led Doula care as sound, evidence-based solutions.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Breastfeeding is critical to maternal health!
BMMA shares key maternal health facts revealing persistent disparities in breastfeeding support for Black families!
- About 74% of Black infants are ever breastfed compared to more than 85% of White and 83% Latinx moms. (Source: CDC)
- Among all infants, in 2019, Black infants had a significantly lower rate of exclusive breastfeeding at age 3 months (36.3%) than did White infants (49%); at age 6 months, the rates of any breastfeeding were 44% among Black infants and 59.9.% among White infants. (Source: CDC)
- Unsupportive work policies (including lack of parental leave), unsupportive hospital policies and practices, lack of lactation support (including apathy from providers), issues with latching, lack of family support, and cultural norms are factors that contribute to breastfeeding disparities. (Source: CDC)
- Hospitals in areas with higher percentages of Black residents were less likely to provide recommended maternity care practices supportive of breastfeeding. (Source: CDC)
Black Mamas Matter Alliance partners are working and collaborating to support breastfeeding for Black mamas and birthing people include:
- Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association
- Black Girls Breastfeeding Club
- Chocolate Milk Cafe
- Mamatoto Village
Celebrating Black Mamas and Birthing People
Black Mamas Matter Alliance has put together events this week starting with a Tweet Chat (@blkmamasmatter) at Noon EST on Tuesday, April 11th. Use #BMHW23 to join the conversation to discuss what Black joy looks like for Black mamas and birthing people.
#BLACKMATERNALHEALTHWEEK23 #BMHW23
Celebrating Black Women’s Contributions to Midwifery and Maternal Health
Wednesday, April 12th | 10:30am ET
Uplifting the history of Granny Midwifery Care and black women’s valuable contributions to the profession, and identify action steps to destigmatize breastfeeding in the Black community.
Valuing Black Voices
Wednesday, April 12th | 3pm ET
Previewing the concept and plan for the Respectful Maternity Care Initiative that places Black birth people’s voices in the forefront.
Addressing Birth Worker Burnout
Wednesday, April 12th | 6:30pm ET
Addressing the health and wellbeing of our care workers that serve along the reproductive health continuum.