Chocolate Milk Mommies is a local nonprofit for African American moms looking to breastfeed or struggling to produce milk. Tiffany Campbell serves as president and says its goal is to educate and provide assistance to moms and babies.
“We have tons of educational guides,” says Campbell. “They can also book a free lactation consult. We will talk you through it as many times as we need to. As far as being in the group. It’s a group aspect when you post a question. ‘Hey, I’m struggling!’ You’ll get 5 to 10 other moms that are like ‘Hey I’ve been through this. But here we are now.’ You realize it may be a hurdle now but you can get through it.”
Campbell shares that there are cases even after receiving assistance, where moms are still unable to produce milk. There are resources available, like peer-to-peer milk.
“A mom pumps and gives you her milk,” says Campbell. “It is totally fine. A lot of people are concerned about safety and that is understandable. But Breast milk is breast milk. Breast milk is full of antibodies. It’s a living organism.”
Campbell says although this is a safe option, some moms still do not feel comfortable. In these cases, she recommends going to a milk bank.
“I know that some people are concerned about okay well medications and things like that,” says Campbell. “Most medications do not pass through to breast milk. A lot of things you think would pass-through does not. Where they provide milk and go through the process of putting it through the lab. Testing it and making sure that it’s pasteurized. And able to be used safely if you prefer. But it’s perfectly fine to have milk from someone else that you know and trust personally.”
Campbell wants moms to understand breastfeeding is not always easy but you are not alone. To learn more about the Chocolate Milk Mommies Group, visit http://www.chocolatemilkmommies.org
To donate and find out more about the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama, click here https://www.mmbal.org
