Talking to your children about racism while trying to breastfeed a newborn is hard. Sometimes pregnancy or the birth of a new sibling can bring up questions about self-identity or family identity. We want to share some resources and articles on talking to your children about racism. Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community Global reminded us, “let’s not forget that the hormones produced while nursing an infant reduce maternal stress.” Black Mamas Day is approaching on Sunday, May 9th and Black Mamas Matter Alliance is gearing up with a jam-packed week centered around celebrating and uplifting Black Mamas

For providers, Michigan Breastfeeding Network released an on-demand webinar titled “Dismantling Racism and Implicit Bias in Breastfeeding and Human Lactation.” Speaker TaNefer L. Camara, MS-HCA, IBCLC, will address how racism, specifically anti-Black racism, is the root cause of disparities in breastfeeding and lactation. She will use case studies and parent narratives to highlight the insidious ways breastfeeding is casually disrupted and undermined by medical providers, nurses, and others who interface with birthing and lactating people. Participants will leave the webinar with recommendations for identifying racism, addressing implicit bias and how to support, and affirm Black, Indigenous and a people of color in breastfeeding/chestfeeding and lactation. Or the March Of Dimes Implicit Bias Training for OB/GYNs, CNMs, Family Medicine physicians, nurses, LCs, and all other health professionals involved in maternal health on May 20, 2021, 1:00 PM Eastern Time.

Resource list

• 24 Books That Teach About Social Justice
• 24 books for white people to read beyond Black History Month
• 25 Mini-Films for Exploring Race, Bias, and Identity with Students 
• 31 Children’s books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance
• Américas Award
• American Indians in Children’s Literature: Best Books 
• Anti-Racism/Intersectionality/Implicit Bias Resources
• Anti-Racism Resources for White People
• Are All Muslims Terrorists?: My Child’s Muslim Identity 
• Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice 
• The Brown Bookshelf
• Children’s Africana Book Awards
• EmbraceRace
• Facing History Blog – Bearing Witness: The Death of George Floyd 
• Freeman Book Awards Honoring East and Southeast Asian Titles for Children and Young Adults
• George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. What do we tell our children?
• Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books
• How parents can talk to their children about the Derek Chauvin verdict.”
• Middle East Book Award
• Raising Race Conscious Children | Resource for Talking About Race & Diversity
• Resources for Talking about Race, Racism, and Racialized Violence with Kids 
• Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
• Schomburg Center’s Black Liberation Reading List for Adults
• Schomburg Center’s Black Liberation Reading List for Teens 
• Schomburg Center’s Black Liberation Reading List for Kids 
• Social Justice Books Booklists
• South Asia Book Award
• Teaching Kindness Isn’t Enough 
• The way you define racism may stop you from seeing it – so what definition do you hold?
• What White Children Need to Know About Race
• We are Dying Because of the Fears of White People
• We Need Diverse Books 
• Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup

Thank you to Emily Chávez, Director of Equity and Justice at a Durham independent school, for compiling the majority of this list. Additions provided by the Breastfeed Durham Team.