When a woman discovers that she is pregnant, she begins a journey of research, discovery, questioning, and finding out everything she can about pregnancy. For Black moms, the search often includes how to advocate for themselves in the delivery room and learning all they can about Black maternal health.
But that research should not stop at delivery. Black women experience racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare in addition to being two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The following organizations and resources are available to help Black mothers in every stage of motherhood, from birth through early childhood. Whether you are a Black mother or not, we all have a chance to support Black moms through these groups.
Milky Mama
Krystal Duhaney, a registered nurse and international board certified lactation consultant, created Milky Mama in 2015 to help nursing mothers after experiencing her own challenges with her milk supply.
Milky Mama now offers an array of nursing products, including lactation snacks and supplements, breastfeeding gear, and breastfeeding services to help moms on their nursing journeys. On Instagram, Milky Mama has also fostered a community of nursing mothers looking for support and resources during this critical time.
Raising Resilience
Raising Resilience is a mental wellness practice that offers support for women’s issues, including postpartum mood and anxiety disorder, birth trauma, infertility, miscarriage and stillborn births, stress management, and more.
Whitney Coble and Tiffany Bishop are dedicated to working with women and families by providing individual and family/couples therapy. They also offer therapy around co-parenting and collaborate with other professionals to support women’s holistic preferences.
Black Supermamas
Meagan Henderson created Black Supermamas one year after giving birth to her son during the pandemic and after the police killing of George Floyd.
In search of a space to be transparent and candid about her feelings as a Black mom, Meagan decided to create the community she was searching for. Now Black Supermamas has amassed a following of more than 32,000 people on Instagram and conintinues to inspire, uplift, and empower Black supermamas everywhere!
National Birth Equity Collaborative
The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) works to improve Black birth outcomes through training, research, collaboration with community organizations, and advocacy actions. They are working with people behind the scenes to create solutions for Black maternal and infant health. The NBEC serves mothers through research initiatives, policy influence, advocacy, focus groups, and training.
mater mea
Launched in 2012, mater mea continues to serve as the “Black mom Google” for all things parenting. The organization prides itself on embracing the diversity among Black women and serves as a support so that moms and their families are supported during their transition with a little one.
Recently, they launched a series called Overdue in partnership with Gerber and Un-ruly. The series offers support and resources from registered nurse and doula Ebony Harvey who discusses the birthing experience.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
The Black Mamas Matter Alliance serves as a national voice that coordinates stakeholders who advocate for better maternal health resources, rights, and justice for mothers. The BMMA organizes Black Maternal Health Week in April every year and provides a toolkit of resources and activities that amplify the voices of Black mamas and a center for the values and traditions of the reproductive and birth justice movements.
Black Women's Health Imperative
The Black Women’s Health Imperative stands for health equality for all Black women and girls. They target the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls in the U.S., including diabetes, intimate partner violence, and teen health through investments in evidence-based strategies, bold programs, and advocacy outreach on health policies.
Irth app
The Irth app stands for “birth” without the “b” for “bias.” Founded by Kimberly Seals Allers, an award-winning journalist and advocate, the Irth app is a “Yelp-like” app to review and rate care experienced at hospitals and by physicians made by and for Black women and birthing people of color.
Black Breastfeeding Week
Black Breastfeeding Week is a full week of dedication to the support and recognition of Black mothers who have chosen to breastfeed or who support breastfeeding. For the past eight years, this organization has held forums, live and virtual events, and provided resources for women looking to breastfeed.
The Loveland Foundation
The Loveland Foundation, founded by writer Rachel Cargle, is committed to supporting communities of color in various ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. The Therapy Fund program, started in 2018, has raised more than $250,000, making it possible for Black women and girls to receive therapy support.
Sisters in Loss
Not all mothers have a baby living on Earth, and support for the loss of a child can be hard to find. Sisters in Loss is a digital media platform dedicated to telling Black women’s stories of pregnancy loss, infant loss, and infertility. Sisters in Loss also provides doula services and doula training for additional support during and after pregnancy.
National Association to Advance Black Birth
The National Association to Advance Black Birth is a nonprofit organization that provides advocacy, support, and programs that directly help Black women through the birthing process. Their work is focused on improving the birthing experience across the board, from equity and humanity in the doctor’s office to reducing mother and infant mortality, as well as increasing the number of Black midwives, doulas, and birth workers.
