The power of support and collective care
For many families, breastfeeding support is built through relationships. It can come from a trusted healthcare professional, a peer supporter, a family member or other parents who understand the challenges of those early days.
Through my work as an infant feeding practitioner, I have seen how powerful the right support can be during a family's breastfeeding journey. A compassionate conversation, a culturally aware practitioner and a welcoming space can make the difference between someone feeling isolated and someone feeling seen.
This year's Black Breastfeeding Week theme, “We All We Got: 14 Years of Community, Care, and Collective Power”, recognises the importance of those connections and the role they play in supporting Black families. It celebrates the people and grassroots organisations who have continued to show up for families, often when systems have fallen short.
Collective care has always been one of our greatest strengths, but families should not have to rely on their village to fill the gaps created by unequal access to healthcare - they deserve both. Collective power is not only about the support we receive from others. It is about what happens when people come together to challenge systems, share knowledge and create change.
Across the UK, Black mothers, parents, advocates, peer supporters and community organisations have used their voices to highlight inequalities, demand better care and create spaces where families can access the support they deserve. This work shows that communities are not simply responding to gaps in services; they are leading conversations and shaping the future of infant feeding support.
When maternity care impacts breastfeeding
Recent months have rightly brought renewed attention to the state of maternity care in England. The independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation found maternity services are not consistently providing safe, compassionate care and identified racism and unequal treatment as systemic issues requiring urgent action. These findings reinforce what many Black families have known for a long time.
Poor maternity care can lead to reduced trust in healthcare professionals, reduced access to breastfeeding support and, ultimately, poorer breastfeeding experiences and outcomes. If a mother feels dismissed during pregnancy or birth, she may be less likely to ask for help if breastfeeding becomes difficult or return for further support if she does not feel listened to.
We cannot improve breastfeeding outcomes for Black families without addressing the inequities that shape their experiences throughout the maternity system. I regularly hear stories from Black mothers who felt ignored when raising concerns, questioned when advocating for themselves or unsure whether breastfeeding groups would be welcoming spaces for them. Sometimes it is not one significant event that leaves a lasting impact, but a series of negative interactions and micro-aggressions that slowly erode confidence and trust.
The Birthrights inquiry into racial injustice in maternity care echoed many of these experiences, finding that Black women were less likely to feel listened to, believed and treated with dignity and respect. When trust is damaged before a baby is even born, rebuilding it during the breastfeeding journey becomes much harder.
Representation matters
When families see themselves reflected in breastfeeding campaigns, hospital information and local support groups, they are more likely to believe those services were created with them in mind. Representation is also about the people providing care. It is about feeling your lived experiences, culture and concerns will be understood rather than dismissed.
As someone of mixed heritage working in infant feeding, I know how powerful that visibility can be. Many Black mothers have told me they felt an immediate sense of reassurance and safety, simply because they saw someone who looked like them. It did not mean I automatically understood every aspect of their experience, but it created a foundation of trust that allowed honest conversations to happen.
Building a more equitable future
All families deserve evidence-based, culturally competent care from every professional they encounter. They deserve reassurance after a difficult appointment, encouragement during challenging days and the confidence to seek support when things feel overwhelming.
There are practical steps that can help create lasting change:
- Recruit and retain a more diverse maternity and infant feeding workforce.
- Invest in Black led breastfeeding and parenting organisations.
- Involve Black mothers in designing the services intended to support them.
These are not new ideas. We already know culturally competent care, skilled breastfeeding support and strong local networks improve outcomes. The challenge is ensuring every family can access them.
This year’s Black Breastfeeding Week theme reflects the strength of Black families and communities who have always shared knowledge, created support networks and used their collective power to advocate for change. When systems fall short people step in, but collective power is not only about filling gaps; it’s about shaping better futures, ensuring Black voices are heard and building a maternity and infant feeding landscape where every family receives the care they deserve.
Through my work, I am committed to creating spaces where families feel informed, supported and represented throughout their feeding journeys. My aim is to make sure parents feel heard and confident in the choices they make for their families.
