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The Black Breastfeeding Blog was created by Jennifer James as a way to reach black mothers who are currently breastfeeding or who want to breastfeed in the future. As a former breastfeeding mother of two daughters (who she breastfed for two years each), Jennifer believes in the powerful healing properties of breast milk and believes all black moms should at least start the nursing process to increase the health of their babies.


Send your breastfeeding photos to me at info (at) mommytoo (dot) com.

Sitting for a Formal Photograph and Breastfeeding
Tuesday, April 22, 2008

In the Library of Congress archives, there are many photographs of Indian women with their babies in papooses. In all of the seated, formal pictures of women and their children I have seen, I have never seen a photo where the mother is freely breastfeeding her child. This photograph is quite interesting because although the woman was white, her husband was an Indian and she lived in an Indian village after being captured in her youth.

Her name was Cynthia Ann Parker (ca. 1825-ca. 1871) and in this photo she was nursing her daughter, Prairie Flower (Toposannah). Parker was captured by Native American Comanches as a teenager, later married Chief Peta Nocona and bore children including Quanah Parker, the last Comanche Chief.1860-1870.

Parker's life is very interesting. If you'd like to learn more about her, click here.

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posted by Jennifer James @ 4:48 AM, , links to this post


Giving Milk Formula to Nurses
Sunday, April 13, 2008

Things rarely change in this world in which we live. Case in point: An interview with Miss Mattie Ingram, a county health nurse in Beaufort, S.C. on January 31, 1939. This was published in the South Carolina Writer's Project.

After Mattie Ingram gave milk to a poor woman to feed her ill husband she said to the writer from the Project:

"Oh, the milk--do I buy it to give away?" She smiled. "If I started that, I'd be spending every cent I make and it wouldn't be a drop in the bucket. No, several manufacturers of canned milk send us samples to advertise their milk formulas for babies. It comes in very handy, I can tell you."

Sound familiar?

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posted by Jennifer James @ 6:48 PM, , links to this post


Breastfeeding in Public During Social Hour

Although this photo isn't dated, I wager a bet it was taken during the mid to late 1930s. It may potentially be the early 1940s. What is particularly telling about this photograph are the notes on the back of the photo (below) and the fact that once again breastfeeding in public was no big deal before the formula industry changed the perception of infant feeding (almost irreparably) in this country. The men could care less that a woman's exposed breast is in full view of everyone, although the little boy on the right does seem a little enthralled by the baby breastfeeding.


Written Notes on Item
a) Part of Social Hour audience at Shafter Camp (handwritten on reverse); b) Todd's favorite picture of an "Okie Family" in Shafter F.S.A. Camp. Nursing babies was the usual thing at camp "Socials." (typed and attached to reverse)

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posted by Jennifer James @ 5:41 PM, , links to this post


Ancient Egyptians and Breasts
Saturday, April 12, 2008

Although this blog is about breastfeeding, there is no mistaking that the way in which the West views breasts has a lot to do with the perception of breastfeeding in this country.

Scholars have spent their lives and energies tracing the root of female discrimination around the world. I am no different, although I simply find pictures, post them here, and try to make some sense of this culture we live in that takes such great issue with breasts and breastfeeding.

Today while on the Metropolitan Museum of Art web site I noticed a picture of an ancient Egyptian woman on a coffin. Check it out: Her nipple is exposed! I don't know when people started getting so touchy about breasts. I've even fallen victim to this craziness. At least there is evidence that shows there was a time when breasts weren't so taboo.

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posted by Jennifer James @ 5:04 PM, , links to this post


Coal Miner's Wife, Breastfeeding at Home in 1938
Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Coal miner's wife and child. Pursglove, West Virginia. 1938 Sept

Here's the funny thing about these photos: During this time, it was the poor mothers who stayed fast to the natural art of breastfeeding, whereas metropolitan mothers and those who had better access to doctors who pushed formula opted to feed their babies artificially.

Now in 2008, poor, rural mothers statistically do not want to have anything to do with breastfeeding and mothers who are better off economically breastfeed in higher numbers -- what a flip-flop.

I have spent more than a year trying to put an historic perspective on the legacy that black mothers have with breastfeeding, but it is now dawning on me that poor white women and particularly those who still live in rural areas have a storied history of breastfeeding that has largely been lost as well.

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posted by Jennifer James @ 8:38 AM, , links to this post


Breastfeeding Under the Trees, June 1939
Sunday, April 6, 2008

I am always amazed by the pictures I find of mothers in the 1930s and 40s who breastfed; I'm obsessed with them, really. Although formula was readily available then, poor farming mothers most always breastfed their babies as opposed to feeding them in a way that was expensive and I hazard to say...unnatural.

Here's a mother breastfeeding her daughter under the trees in Wagoner County, Oklahoma. The picture was taken in June 1939. This is a wife and child of an itinerant cane furniture maker and agricultural day laborer.


One satisfied baby.

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posted by Jennifer James @ 8:10 PM, , links to this post


Anybody Here?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008

*Knocking on screen* Anyone around?

It's been about two weeks since I last posted regularly. I've been so, so busy.

I just got finished visiting my stat counter and my numbers would totally be in the tank if perverts didn't look for black breasts in the numbers they do. They're singlehandedly keeping my stats on track. How pathetic is that?

Starting tomorrow I'll be back posting about breastfeeding on a regular basis because this blog is important and I don't want to let any mom who happens to land here to feel shafted because I'm not writing on a regular basis.

So, See you tomorrow!

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posted by Jennifer James @ 5:51 PM, , links to this post


Blog for HybridMom.com
Thursday, March 6, 2008

Many of you who stop by often have probably been wondering where are all of my perky, yet pessimistic posts about public breastfeeding? Well, ever since a heated discussion (okay, maybe it wasn't heated; how about passionate) over the weekend I haven't posted at all, though not because I am laying low. Rather, I am the Website Director for HybridMom.com and we're in the process of launching a brand-new site this week.

That said, for our beta release I am looking for two mom bloggers who may be interested in doing a little political blogging for us. We're looking for a mom who is a McCain supporter and also a mom who is a Ralph Nader supporter who would like to blog for the Hybrid Mom Insider. We already have moms who support Obama and Clinton.

This is a great opportunity to voice your political perspectives and also write for an up-and-coming web site for moms and gain national recognition for your writing.

If interested, please email me at jenniferj (at) hybridmom (dot) com.

Thanks! I look forward to hearing from you.

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posted by Jennifer James @ 10:15 AM, , links to this post


Erykah Badu on Breastfeeding
Saturday, March 1, 2008

Thought this was interesting, but have to admit I think we all probably knew Erykah Badu would be a breastfeeding mama.

From AOL Music: It's been almost five years since Badu released her third album, 'Worldwide Underground,' and the singer admittedly took some time off to nurse her kids instead of her career. "I had a daughter in 2004, but I put out 'Worldwide Underground' in 2003 and I took the time to nurture her ... breastfeeding and mothering and caring for her. And she had an older brother who was six at the time, who also needed mommy's care, love and attention, " Badu explains in a sweet, reflective tone.

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posted by Jennifer James @ 3:31 AM, , links to this post


Would This Make You Stop Eating Bacon?
Thursday, February 28, 2008

Found this today on Mom Logic.

I cannot even articulate my feelings about this. All I can ask is...Why?

PETA is attempting to draw attention to the cruel treatment of sows.

What do you think? Dumb or effective? This won't make me stop eating bacon.

Wonder if PETA will do this performance activism again once this expectant mother has delivered? Next time she'll be in the cage breastfeeding her baby....

I guess this is the only way PETA can get their message across...by shocking people!

Edited to add...

OK, maybe I get their point.

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posted by Jennifer James @ 3:52 PM, , links to this post