PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A Philadelphia-based community organization is working to support Black and Brown mothers and enhance breastfeeding rates. The CDC reports that Black mothers are less likely to breastfeed compared to their white counterparts and face more health challenges.
Aiming to reverse this trend, the organization CocoLife is stepping in.
Eroleen Watkins, with her 3-month-old baby Miles, is consulting a doula about postpartum health through CocoLife’s maternal resource platform in Germantown.
“The disparity in mortality and morbidity rates for Black moms and babies is staggering,” said Alexia Doumbouya, the founder of CocoLife.
Doumbouya established CocoLife to improve health outcomes for Black mothers and their babies, with a strong focus on increasing breastfeeding rates.
“There hasn’t been much emphasis on breastfeeding in the Black community due to systemic racism,” Doumbouya explained. “Formula was promoted as the easier option, suggesting that breastfeeding could make babies too clingy. The advice was often to use formula so mothers could return to work.”
As a doula, Doumbouya educates women on breastfeeding. She uses fruit models to illustrate the size of a baby’s stomach, helping mothers understand the appropriate amount of milk needed.
“It was very helpful to see that my baby doesn’t need a large amount of formula,” Watkins said.
Watkins reports that breastfeeding has been straightforward with Miles, who is growing quickly. She values breastfeeding for its mental and physical benefits for both mother and baby.
“We recently discovered that Miles has eczema, and breast milk is better for his condition,” Watkins added.
CocoLife offers various programs and support groups to assist women in their breastfeeding journey.
