From the very first moments of Feeding Forward, it was clear that this gathering was more than a webinar—it was a collective exhale. Held in recognition of Black Breastfeeding Week, the conversation created space to honor the realities, resilience, and wisdom of Black breastfeeding families while imagining a future where every feeding journey is met with greater support, dignity, and care.

Black Breastfeeding Week is an important moment to bring visibility to the experiences of Black parents and families within the broader infant-feeding conversation. While breastfeeding can be deeply personal, the ability to initiate and sustain it is also shaped by the systems, resources, cultural narratives, and support available to families. The week offers an opportunity to celebrate Black breastfeeding, elevate Black voices and leadership, and acknowledge the persistent disparities that have shaped Black families’ access to breastfeeding support and resources.

Against that backdrop, Feeding Forward centered a powerful question: What would it look like to make infant feeding journeys more supported, more informed, and more humane?

The answer began with truth and tenderness.

One of the most resonant themes of the conversation was the profound connection between birth experiences and what follows in the postpartum period—including the breastfeeding journey. Research has found associations between positive birth experiences and breastfeeding initiation and duration, while other studies have connected birth satisfaction with early postpartum bonding and breastfeeding self-efficacy. These findings underscore something the panelists brought to life through their own stories: feeding does not happen in isolation. It is deeply connected to how a person experiences birth, recovery, support, their body, and the transition into parenthood.

Each panelist brought their own lived experience with breastfeeding to the conversation, illuminating the many realities that families navigate every day—from preparation and expectation to challenges, joy, uncertainty, and the need for support that meets people where they are. Together, their stories expanded the conversation beyond whether someone breastfeeds to a more meaningful question: What do families need in order to feel supported in however their feeding journey unfolds?

That spirit of care, honesty, and possibility was at the heart of Feeding Forward—and made the gathering especially meaningful during Black Breastfeeding Week.

A Story Rooted in Kauai: The Origins of Kiki Milk

Kiki Milk’s origin story is not simply a brand narrative—it is a feeding intervention born from lived experience. Founder Lauren Abelin shared vulnerably about her own lactation journey, moving from an oversupply of milk to an undersupply, navigating postpartum mental health challenges, and feeling unsure of where to turn for support. Her story mirrors what research consistently shows: postpartum mental health struggles can significantly shape lactation outcomes.

When Lauren and her family realized there were no milk alternatives they felt comfortable giving their son, frustration turned into curiosity, and curiosity into action. Coconut meat, coconut water, hemp seeds, and fresh island ingredients became the earliest versions of what would eventually become Kiki Milk, an organic, plant-based milk blend made from whole foods, designed primarily for children but consumed by adults as well.

Kiki Milk’s ethos is simple: reconnect families to real food, nature, and nourishment. In this way, Kiki Milk becomes more than a product; it becomes a feeding support, a bridge, and a tool for families navigating complex feeding realities.

Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding: Naming What’s Real

The panel addressed racial disparities with clarity and care. Black families continue to face systemic barriers to breastfeeding initiation and continuation, even when controlling for socioeconomic and pregnancy‑related factors. These disparities are shaped by historical stigmatization of breastfeeding among Black women, cultural narratives around sexuality and bodily autonomy, limited access to lactation support, birth experiences that may feel disempowering or unsafe, and workplace constraints and structural inequities.

Feeding Forward: What Informed Choice Really Means

Throughout the webinar, speakers returned to the importance of emotional safety. Families need providers who listen deeply, honor cultural context, and offer guidance without coercion. Porsche Holland‑Otunba spoke about the healing power of being witnessed, how feeling seen can transform a feeding journey from isolating to empowering. 

The panelists, including Latham Thomas, Dr. Joy Cooper, Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, and Lauren Abelin, explored what it means for families to make informed feeding choices. Informed choice is not about choosing one “right” method. It’s about access to accurate, culturally relevant information, support that honors bodily autonomy, nutrition guidance that reflects real‑world circumstances, mental health care that is accessible and affirming, and community networks that uplift rather than shame. When families have these supports, feeding becomes less about survival and more about connection.

Feeding Forward reminded us that infant feeding is not a test of worthiness. It is a journey shaped by birth, community, culture, mental health, and the systems that surround families. When we honor these truths, we create space for Black families to feed their children with confidence, dignity, and joy.

From Kiki Milk’s family to yours: nourishment is a birthright. And every family deserves to feel supported as they claim it.