Mollard Elizabeth, Gaines Cydney, Boldt Jillian, Hardesty Jordan, Fynbu Eggert Clara, Reddick Ebony, Goodwin Tina
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.
Maternal Wellness Program, The Malone Center, Lincoln, NE, United States.
Front Public Health. 2025 Jul 4;13:1589089. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1589089. eCollection 2025.
Persistent racial disparities in breastfeeding reflect broader systemic inequities that disproportionately impact Black families. In response to barriers such as limited access to culturally competent lactation support, biased hospital practices, and financial constraints, Black-led, community-driven initiatives have emerged to improve breastfeeding success and infant nutrition equity. This community case study describes the development and implementation of the Malone Maternal Wellness Milk Share program, a Black-led initiative providing structured, community-based milk sharing to ensure equitable access to human milk. The program addresses systemic barriers by integrating rigorous donor screening protocols, informed consent processes, and culturally responsive lactation support while maintaining accessibility for families who might not otherwise have access to traditional milk banks. While created to address racial disparities, the Milk Share program is intentionally inclusive, welcoming all families in need regardless of race, ethnicity, or background. A Community Advisory Board guides the program, ensuring it remains aligned with both public health safety standards and the needs of Black families. By embedding donor human milk access within a broader framework of maternal health support, the Milk Share program demonstrates the effectiveness of community-led solutions in mitigating breastfeeding disparities and promoting infant health. The findings from this initiative underscore the need for healthcare systems and policymakers to recognize and support community-driven interventions as critical components of maternal and infant health equity efforts.
母乳喂养方面持续存在的种族差异反映了更广泛的系统性不平等，这种不平等对黑人家庭的影响尤为严重。为应对诸如获得具有文化胜任力的泌乳支持机会有限、医院存在偏见的做法以及经济限制等障碍，以黑人为主导、由社区推动的倡议应运而生，以提高母乳喂养成功率和婴儿营养公平性。本社区案例研究描述了马龙孕产妇健康母乳共享项目的发展与实施情况，该项目由黑人主导，提供结构化的、基于社区的母乳共享服务，以确保公平获取母乳。该项目通过整合严格的捐赠者筛查方案、知情同意程序以及具有文化响应性的泌乳支持来解决系统性障碍，同时为那些可能无法通过其他途径获得传统母乳库服务的家庭提供便利。虽然创建该母乳共享项目是为了解决种族差异问题，但它有意保持包容性，欢迎所有有需要的家庭，无论其种族、族裔或背景如何。一个社区咨询委员会指导该项目，确保其既符合公共卫生安全标准，又满足黑人家庭的需求。通过将捐赠母乳的获取纳入更广泛的孕产妇健康支持框架，母乳共享项目展示了社区主导的解决方案在减轻母乳喂养差异和促进婴儿健康方面的有效性。该倡议的结果强调，医疗系统和政策制定者需要认识到并支持社区驱动的干预措施，将其作为母婴健康公平努力的关键组成部分。
