Angela Abbott, Client Service Area Manager
“I am grateful to have a supply that is more than enough for my daughter. I also decided to donate over 300 bags of breastmilk to a co-worker.”

SAFE SPACE DIRECTORY

Find a safe space to Breast / Chestfeed in L.A. County. Search our directory by region below:

ANTELOPE VALLEY SOUTH LA & SOUTH BAY

In 2022, the AAIMM Community Action Teams initiated a grassroots effort to approach businesses in Los Angeles County asking them to publicly designate themselves as Safe Spaces for Black moms/birthing persons to breast/chestfeed. They were presented with Safe Space window decals, posters and tabletop tents to display. The idea was to alter the stigma around breast/chestfeeding in public and normalize moms/birthing persons feeding their babies any and everywhere.

This year, the AAIMM Black Breastfeeding Week campaign continues this effort in engaging local businesses directly, thereby growing the greater village of support for Black moms/birthing persons and their babies. We will be highlighting these businesses on social media, as well as creating a directory of LA County “Safe Space” businesses on blackinfantsandfamilies.org. 

AAIMM, in conjunction with Soul Food for Your Baby, BreastfeedLA, and CinnaMoms, will also spend a week sharing positive and informative breast/chestfeeding messages across social media and the web, personal stories from those who work in the field of lactation support, as well as breastfeeding mamas, and events. BreastfeedLA also has a resources map on its website where you can find providers and breastfeeding support in your area.

Check this page and follow @blackinfantsandfamiliesla on Instagram for updates. Use #AAIMM, #BlackBreastfeedingWeek2023 and #GrowTheVillage to share your breastfeeding journey with us and join the conversation. 

You can learn more about the national Black Breastfeeding Week 2023 campaign and find virtual events HERE. 

BLACK BREAST/CHESTFEEDING WEEK EVENTS & RESOURCES

DOWNLOAD THE SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL-KIT

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Black Breastfeeding Week
Q & As

Kimberly Durdin, CPM, LM, IBCLC

How did you become involved in supporting Black breast/chestfeeding in Los Angeles County and why are you passionate about it?

I moved to LA 17 years ago, already an IBCLC, and looking to continue to support families in the area as I had done in the Washington, DC metro area and NYC where I moved from. I was passionate about joining other lactation professionals in this area because California seemed to be doing some amazing and innovative things to support, promote, and protect lactation and I wanted to be a part of it all!

Aqueelah Russell, MBA, IBCLC, LCCE

What is the most rewarding part of the work that you do to support Black breast/chestfeeding?

Promoting and leading by example. Illustrating that Black moms DO breastfeed and that Black women also thrive in the professional lactation space. It is vital for Black babies to receive their mama's breast milk as their optimum feeding choice.

Kirstein Smith, Breastfeeding Mama

What (or who) helped you to make the decision to breastfeed your baby and why did you decide to take that journey?

My mother was basically telling (me) how good it is to breastfeed your child it helps them a lot with their immune system and that it’s basically better to breastfeed because it helps you create a bond with your child and then not only that but breast-fed babies are way more smarter they’re way more active than other babies — they’re way more everything

Dr. Tonce, Senior Health Equity Manager, Co-Creator CinnaMoms

What do you hope to see change for the better with regard to Black breast/chestfeeding in Los Angeles County?

A diversified lactation field. More Black/African American Lactation consultants and Breastfeeding Peer Counselors. More scholarships, mentorship, tutoring for the college level courses needed to advance in the field of lactation. Continued support and services for our Black families. More imagery of families living joyous and healthy lives! Increased support for families who are not fully breastfeeding. Any breastfeeding matters, also!

EVENTS

August 30th

AV AAIMM BBFW BBQ - 11AM

SGV LUNCH & LATCH - 12PM

FAQs and QUESTIONS

How did you become involved in supporting Black breast/chestfeeding in Los Angeles County and why are you passionate about it?

Through CORE, and SGV AIMM (the San Gabriel Valley Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative Community Action Team). 

What is the most rewarding part of the work that you do to support Black breast/chestfeeding?

I can relate, as I am currently breastfeeding. But assisting mothers with support and advice is the most rewarding, and connecting them to the resources we have in the agency.

LOS ANGELES — On Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris toured Baby2Baby in Baldwin Hills to spotlight maternal health crisis. This comes just after the White House announced a new blueprint to address the crisis.

Locally, there is a big push to do the same. Dr. Melissa Franklin, director of maternal, child and adolescent health at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, says Black women are four times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications in the county.

Dr. Franklin and additional members of the AAIMM Prevention Initiative members were interviewed on Spectrum News;

“The AAIMM Initiative… is our work to address birth inequity - the injustice of Black mamas, birthing folks and babies dying at higher rates than any other race,” said Dr. Franklin.

VIEW CLIP HERE

The Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence, a part of Charles R. Drew University of Science and Medicine, is working to address the issue by offering free and low-cost services to include prenatal and postpartum care.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL SPECTRUM INTERVIEW

“A doula helps you prepare for your birth and navigate life on the other side of childbirth.” 

— Elliette Johnson, AAIMM Doula

"A doula’s role is to provide you with all the tools you need to have an empowered and safe experience while bringing your baby earth-side." 

— Mia De Silva, AAIMM Doula

“Every family has the right to feel and be safe, supported, and heard throughout their pregnancy and birth experience.”  

— Lakeisha Solomon, AAIMM Doula

“I think everyone should have a doula because there's one more person on your care team that's there entirely for your comfort, encouragement, and well-being.”

— Ansâr El Muhammad, AAIMM Doula

What does it mean to truly love your fellow man? As February is not only Black History Month, but also the month in which we celebrate Valentine's Day, we dove a little deeper into the meaning of love. The Greek word, "philia," translates to "brotherly love." Of the four types of love described in the Greek, it is considered the highest form of love. 

Brotherly love is the love for our fellow person. This is what the Village is to us: loving our fellow person, Black mothers/birthing persons and their babies, as family. Let's continue to hold each other as family while we remain steadfast in our work and celebrate each healthy and joyous Black birth.

Love also is a word that requires taking action. We’re inviting you to put “philia” into action by helping us grow the greater AAIMM village of support for Black families in Los Angeles County. You can do this by sharing our programs and resources with families who may need them, or participating in our programs if you are an expectant parent or looking for an opportunity to volunteer. 

We’ve made it really easy for you to participate in growing the village by creating a text number.* Simply text the number below with the corresponding code indicating the program you’d like to receive more information about:

TEXT NUMBER: 323-745-2771

Doula Program: Text DOULA

Fatherhood Program: Text DAD

Newsletter: Text PLEDGE to take the Pledge to end Black maternal & infant births and to sign up for our newsletter (optional)

Antelope Valley Community Action Team: Text AV to learn more about volunteer opportunities in Antelope Valley

Santa Clarita/San Fernando Valley Community Action Team: Text SFV to learn more about volunteer opportunities in the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys

San Gabriel Valley Community Action Team: Text SGV to learn more about volunteer opportunities in San Gabriel Valley

South LA/South Bay Community Action Team: Text SLASB to learn more about volunteer opportunities in South LA and South Bay

*PLEASE NOTE: This number is for text messages ONLY and is not monitored for phone calls. 

Thank you for being a part of birthing justice history by helping us grow the village to support healthy and joyous Black births!

We open on a seemingly idyllic scene of a Black mother giving birth naturally in a hospital — her husband beaming beside her as their newborn infant takes her first breath of oxygen, the music swells...but something is terribly wrong. The mother cannot move her arm. After some tests are run, it’s discovered that the mother has a lump in her thyroid. It’s stage 3 cancer. She must immediately begin intravenous radioactive treatment which will mean separation from her new baby (whom she’s named Pearl) and her husband for the next 4-5 months. So begins the April 20, 2021 episode of NBC’s procedural medical drama, New Amsterdam, which examines the inequities in child labor for women of color through the stories of three different Black women with three unique birthing experiences at the titular hospital. 

According to its hub on the University of California San Francisco website, the SACRED Birth Study was designed to validate the first and only Patient Reported Experience Measure of OBstetric racism©, also known as the PREM-OB Scale™, developed in 2019 with funding from California Health Care Foundation and owned by Dr. Karen A. Scott, MD, MPH, FACOG. The PREM-OB Scale™ examines obstetric racism, as defined for, by, and with Black mothers and Black birthing people, during hospitalization for labor, birth, and postpartum in six theorized patient identified quality of care domains: Safety, Autonomy, Communication, Racism, Empathy, and Dignity. 

The site further states that the information gained from the PREM-OB Scale™ will help hospitals, health plans, scientists, funders, and the public better understand how obstetric racism and other forms of neglect and mistreatment affect the ways that hospitals provide care, services, and support to Black mothers and birthing people during labor, birth, and postpartum. Although the study officially ended on January 31, 2021, it was indirectly given new life and a new platform during the New Amsterdam episode.The episode was titled “Catch” and was written by staff writer Erika Green Swafford (@swptatopie on Twitter), who is also a Black woman, and was directed by Shiri Appleby. Swafford also served as a consulting producer on the episode. 

Dr. Scott was tapped by Hollywood, Health & Society to serve as an expert for Swafford on writing “Catch.” Hollywood, Health & Society is a free resource to television and screen writers, connecting them with resources and experts on a variety of health and social topics. Hollywood, Health & Society also presented an open conversation on the issues surrounding Black maternal health on May 6 called “The Black Birth Experience: Challenges, Joys and Justice,” for which Swafford was a panelist. 

“Thank you so much for another opportunity to support the amazing work @HollywoodHealth. Thank you @robertacruger for introducing me to @swptatopie. Congratulations in advance to the brilliant Erika and all the talent at New Amsterdam. I plan to watch tonight and apply @SACRED_PREM_OB to the stories,” Dr. Scott tweeted ahead of the episode’s airing. She went on to tweet during the episode.

After the opening, a young Black woman, Ydalis Fournette (actress Tiffany Mann), comes into the hospital because of an abrasion on her head, but is immediately assumed to be pregnant because of her size. Bloodwork shows that she actually is pregnant, despite the fact that she adamantly claims to be a virgin.

"Being a doula is a calling. It is a calling and passion that inspires me to serve my community."

— Felicia Frances-Edwards, AAIMM Doula

"If you and your family are seeking someone who can make prenatal, labor, birth, and postpartum care clear and supportive, a doula is an amazing resource."

– Erlinda, AAIMM Doula

The Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Division is pleased to share several social media posts in honor of SIDS Awareness Month. We also recently launched a brand new SIDS program profile that you can read on our website. Please share these resources far and wide so that we can collectively bring awareness to this important topic.

 

Pregnant? New parent? Are you searching for daycare or looking for someone to watch your baby? Make sure there is a safe space for your baby under 1 year old to sleep. Follow the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone On their back In a crib, bassinet or pack n’ play    with no pillows, blankets or toys Safe sleep saves lives. Learn more by going to:go.cdph.ca.gov/safesleep #SafeSleepCA ¿Embarazada? ¿Padres primerizos? ¿Estás buscando una guardería o alguien que cuide a tu bebé? Asegúrate que tengan un espacio seguro para que duerma tu bebé menor de 1 año. Sigue las indicaciones del "ABC" para que estén seguros a la hora de dormir. Acostado solo Boca arriba sobre la espalda En una cuna, moisés, o cuna corral sin, almohadas, mantas, o juguetes Dormir de forma segura salva vidas. Obtenga más información en:go.cdph.ca.gov/safesleep #DormirDeFormaSeguraCA

Capital and Main recently released a three-part series on birth equity in LA County. Our AAIMM Initiative is highlighted along with many of our partners and partner efforts, called “Black Infant Mortality: the Deadly Divide”.

Truly, there is much work to be done to turn back the tide of harm that over 400 years of oppression and racism in all forms against Black people has caused. Yet, we are encouraged by the our amazing village and the progress we have made bringing forth an unashamed, courageous and unapologetic centering of health and joy for Black mamas, birthing people, and families.

Please see below:

"It takes a village to raise a child," the African proverb states, and activation of that village begins before birth. We strongly believe that healthy and joyous births do not happen alone. They require an entire community of support — that means not just family and friends, but also neighbors, healthcare workers, spiritual advisors, educators, and colleagues. Everyone who influences the environment in which children are born and raised can contribute to and support the next generation being healthy, safe and happy. 

The African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Prevention Initiative believes that having a comprehensive system of support in place (“The Village”) prior to, during, and after birth is a crucial component in our efforts towards bringing about equity in birthing outcomes for Black women and infants. We’re encouraging you to either create and activate your own Village or to become a support to a Black mother/birthing person by:

• Identifying who “The Village” is
• Inspiring “The Village” to take action in its efforts to support healthy and joyous births for Black women and infants
• Sharing resources to equip “The Village” and pregnant birthing persons/women

Get started by checking out the profiles of some people who encompass the AAIMM Village, navigate to a section of the website that will help you step into your role as a member of The Village, or get information and resources that will help you create, cultivate, and activate your own Village. Together, we can #BeTheVillage of support for Black moms/birthing persons and their families to end the unjustly high maternal and infant deaths in Los Angeles County and usher in healthy and joyous births for all. Follow @blackinfantsandfamiliesla on Instagram for updates and use #AAIMM, #BeTheVillage, #ActivateYourVillage, and #WeAreTheVillage to share your healthy and joyous birthing stories with us. 

My motto is, “Birth, but better.” I am here to walk alongside you on this journey to your new life.

– Shanica Davis, AAIMM Doula

Being a doula means creating a sacred space for birthing families to honor their birth as a Rite of Passage, for all birth outcomes

– Shanee Finley, AAIMM Doula

"It’s imperative that the birthing experience consists of the individual feeling like they are listened to, validated, and genuinely supported."

– Shana Spinks, AAIMM Doula

This week we launched Hey bb, a text message service run by real humans to answer questions about pregnancy, birth and parenthood — from how to advocate for yourself (systemic racism is real!) to explaining just what a doula does.

Pregnancy is a joyful time for many, but it's also fraught with anxiety — with worries about childbirth and how to care for a small human being. If this is you, or someone you love, LAist wants to help NAVIGATE the pregnancy, birth and postpartum phases of having a child.

If you would like to sign up for the service, text “heybb” to 73224.