Project Milk Mission

PROJECT MILK MISSION'S PURPOSE IS TO REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY AND ADDRESS BREASTFEEDING DISPARITIES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN ARE 16.7% LESS LIKELY TO BREASTFEED, CONTRIBUTING TO HIGHER INFANT MORTALITY RATES, WHICH ARE THREE TIMES GREATER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN INFANTS COMPARED TO OTHER GROUPS. ADDITIONALLY, BLACK WOMEN ARE 21% MORE LIKELY TO HAVE CESAREAN BIRTHS, WHICH FURTHER DECREASES BREASTFEEDING RATES. OUR COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH INCLUDES: PROVIDING CULTURALLY SENSITIVE BREASTFEEDING EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. UTILIZING A HYBRID MODEL OF VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON SERVICES TO REACH DIVERSE COMMUNITIES EFFECTIVELY. ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO BREASTFEEDING BY OFFERING PEER, FAMILY, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT, AS WELL AS RESOURCES FOR INSUFFICIENT EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE SUPPORT. EMPOWERING MOTHERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL BREASTFEEDING, CONTRIBUTING TO HEALTHIER OUTCOMES FOR BOTH MOTHERS AND INFANTS.

VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON BREASTFEEDING BASICS CLASS: THESE INTERACTIVE SESSIONS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ON TOPICS SUCH AS LATCHING TECHNIQUES, MILK SUPPLY, POSITIONING, AND OVERCOMING COMMON BREASTFEEDING CHALLENGES. EXPERIENCED LACTATION PROFESSIONALS LEAD THESE CLASSES, CREATING A PLATFORM FOR QUESTIONS, SHARED EXPERIENCES, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUPS: FACILITATED BY KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDES, THESE GROUPS OFFER A SUPPORTIVE SPACE FOR MOTHERS TO CONNECT, SHARE STORIES, AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER, FOSTERING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND CAMARADERIE. TELEHEALTH LACTATION CONSULTATIONS: AVAILABLE FROM THE COMFORT OF MOTHERS' HOMES, OUR VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS PROVIDE TAILORED ADVICE, TROUBLESHOOTING, AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM EXPERIENCED LACTATION CONSULTANTS. THIS SERVICE IS INVALUABLE FOR ADDRESSING SPECIFIC BREASTFEEDING CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS. COMMUNITY RESOURCE CONNECTIONS: WE ASSIST MOTHERS WITH BROADER CHALLENGES BY GUIDING THEM TO RESOURCES FOR DIAPERS, BABY SUPPLIES, AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, ENSURING COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT FOR THRIVING. IMPACT AND OUTCOMES: BREASTFEEDING INITIATION: 93% OF PROJECT MILK MISSION CLIENTS INITIATED BREASTFEEDING AFTER BIRTH, COMPARED TO 69% AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 3 MONTHS: 83% OF OUR CLIENTS CONTINUED BREASTFEEDING AT 3 MONTHS, EXCEEDING THE 58% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 6 MONTHS: 77% OF OUR CLIENTS MAINTAINED BREASTFEEDING AT 6 MONTHS, HIGHER THAN THE 44% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 12 MONTHS: 19% OF OUR CLIENTS BREASTFED AT 12 MONTHS, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE 35% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FURTHER PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING CONTINUED BREASTFEEDING BEYOND 6 MONTHS. IN 2023, WE PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICES TO 541 WOMEN.