Inside Durham’s Benefits Access Ecosystem: What We Learned at the Care Coordination Roundtable When a family in Durham struggles to put food on the table, keep the lights on, or get a prescription filled, the health effects show up long before anyone reaches a doctor. That’s the heart of what our community partners call the social
Care Coordination Roundtable Read More »
When Jess Woon describes the work of the Breastfeed Durham Lactation Collaborative, the word that anchors everything is one most clinics never use. Our hope is that through the Collaborative, families feel more than educated. They feel held. A labor and delivery nurse turned postpartum nurse turned International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Jess co-founded the
How the Lactation Collaborative Began: Co-Founder Jess Woon Read More »
Every family deserves to feel celebrated. On May 3rd, we’re gathering at Hillside Park for an afternoon of music, food, community, and joy — because raising babies is hard, and you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Come as you are. Bring the whole family. Durham Pregnancy Expo & Family Festival When: Sunday, May 3
Pregnancy Expo & Family Festival 2026 Read More »
In August, Breastfeed Durham partnered with Piedmont AHEC to host a powerful session in our First Food Equity Series—this one centered on the deep connection between perinatal mood support and lactation. The conversation, led by Bernadette Greene, Executive Director of Breastfeed Durham, and Kimberly D. Harper, RN, MPH of UNC’s Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health, brought together research,
Perinatal Mood Support and Lactation: Building Villages of Care Read More »
Over the past year, our relationship with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has been one of steady growth, partnership, and mutual learning. From completing the Breastfeeding Welcome Here Community Partner Award to inviting Breastfeed Durham to campus events and health fairs, NCCU has taken meaningful steps to demonstrate its commitment to breastfeeding families—students, staff, and
North Carolina Central University’s Commitment to Breastfeeding Families Read More »
Some news hits the heart of a community. This week, we learned that Emerald Doulas, a beloved part of Durham’s maternal and infant health landscape for the past decade, will be closing their physical office at the end of May and dissolving their birth doula team by September. These changes come as the founder, Melanie,
Emerald Doulas’ Legacy and Community Support Read More »
On April 28, 2025, we had the privilege of gathering with leaders from Lincoln Community Health Center and the Durham WIC office to celebrate something truly special—the grand opening of their new lactation space at Lincoln Community Health Center’s Lakewood location on Chapel Hill Road. This wasn’t just about a room or a building; it
Grand Opening at WIC and Lincoln Community Health Center’s Chapel Hill Road Site Read More »
At Breastfeed Durham, we are thrilled to share some encouraging news that reflects meaningful progress in our ongoing efforts to ensure equitable access to breastfeeding support. Julie Ghurtskaia, Vice President of Population Health at Carolina Complete Health, recently shared an exciting update: Carolina Complete Health now offers streamlined access to breast pumps for members—no prior authorization
Progress in Breast Pump Access: A Win for Families Read More »
Introducing the Community Choice Award: Celebrating Quiet Champions of Lactation Equity At Breastfeed Durham, we believe that supporting breastfeeding, chest feeding, and human milk feeding families is everyone’s job. And yet, we know that institutional barriers—bureaucracy, red tape, and even internal politics—can sometimes prevent organizations from formally participating in recognition programs like our Breastfeeding Welcome
Community Choice Award Read More »
Every year during Black Maternal Health Week, we are called to remember the mothers and babies we’ve lost—and to take action to protect the ones we still have. We live and work in Durham, North Carolina—the so-called “City of Medicine.” But despite our proximity to world-class medical institutions, Black families here face an alarming and
When a Health System Says “No” to Lactation Equity Read More »
