(1010) Barriers to Initiation and Continuation of Breastfeeding in U.S.-born Black Infants

Significant racial disparities exist in the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding (Beauregard et al., 2019). Infants who are breastfed have decreased risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, severe lower respiratory disease, acute otitis media, sudden infant death, gastrointestinal infections, and necrotizing enterocolitis for preterm infants (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Three maternal-child health nurses from California, Wisconsin, and New York collaborated on a literature review regarding the current barriers to initiation and continuation of breastfeeding in U.S.-born black infants. Key barriers to breastfeeding included inadequate support, cultural factors, and social factors (Comess, 2017; Hinson et al., 2017; Gross, 2015; Asiodu, 2017; Fabiyi, 2016; Obeng, Emetu, & Curtis, 2015). Additionally, racism at work was a barrier to breastfeeding (Griswold, 2017).