Birthing Bellies Like Mine!
"You look like us, we look like you... Let's show the world "Mothers of Color in Battle Creek Breastfeed Too!"
"Want a Doula? Need a Doula? You Can Get a Doula... Because You Deserve a Doula!"
223 Roosevelt Ave. Battle Creek, MI. 49037 milklikemine@gmail.com
Welcome to Milk Like Mine!
A Breastfeeding Coalition and Community Birthing & Breastfeeding Services Center. Disparity Focused on Mothers of Color & Their Families, But Providing Excellent Care for ALL Who Want and Need it.
Now Offering Birth Doula Services! Making Your Birth About You!
Estd: 8/2019
Mission Statement
We want all mothers and families to experience the impressive level of professionalism and get the help they need when they need it when working with Milk Like Mine. It is our hope that this will make birth and breastfeeding experiences safer and better supported through the services offered without financial barriers. And We have expanded!
Services Provided:
Birth and Postpartum Doula Services
Childbirth and Lactation Education Classes
Lactation Assistance (in-person, virtual, and in-home)
Mom to Mom Breastfeeding Club
Teen to Young Mom’s Club (13y-21)
Hispanic Branch with Spanish Speaking Services
Monthly Coalition Meeting with Community Inclusiveness
Postpartum Depression Support Group
Father to Father Support Group
Supplies as needed
All Services and Supplies Free of Charge
Milk Like Mine! Presents BIRTHING BELLIES LIKE MINE! Our newest branch in services. This is a Doula Services Just For YOU! Call us to inquire, interview and schedule with us. We will make sure your birthing experience STAYS about you. WE ARE STILL OFFERING VIRTUAL VISITS AND
VIRTUAL LACTATION SUPPORT RIGHT AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE, BUT THANKFULLY WE ARE NOW ABLE TO DO IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS AND HOME VISITS!
Want to learn more about our Birth Doula Services or want to talk breastfeeding concerns in the community? Contact us by phone, text, inbox, or email anytime or come see us virtually via zoom upon your request:
Coalition meetings are every second Saturday of the month from 6pm to 7pm.
Sistah to Sistah Breastfeeding Club is every fourth Thursday from 5:45pm to 6:45pm.
Lactation/ Breastfeeding visits are via zoom, home visits, and In-person at our Community Birthing & Breastfeeding Services Center: call, text, inbox or email
We Are Available Right After Hospital Discharge for Breastfeeding help!
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Show support for Breastfeeding WOC by clicking the link above or shop right here on the Milk Like Mine! Store below! We have T-shirts for the whole family down to the baby's Onesie, Long Sleeve shirts, Sweat Shirts, Tote bags, Phone Cases and more!
More About Milk Like Mine!
How We Got Here...We the cofounders Rickeshia and Stephanie both started out as breastfeeding Peer Counselors at the Calhoun County WIC office. While we worked there years apart we have always had a lot in common but what shined more brightly than any of the things we had in common was that we both share an extreme passion for breastfeeding and a grave concern for the African American disparities in our community, since opening we have expanded to address disparities for all women of color as a focus but we believe in serving ALL mothers that want and or need our services. That's what caused us to want to form or own coalition. We're now both credentialed in lactation one as a CLS (Certified Lactation Specialist) and CLC (Certified Lactation Counselor) the other is a CLC as well and they're both working toward our IBCLC certification. Long after we achieve that goal, we will continue to pursue our passion helping mothers breastfeeding right here in our community!
We want to help mothers of color and their families in our community to succeed in breastfeeding from a group that is a true representation of self. Because we've been where you are, we live here and we work here. We have struggled and overcome and want you to as well. Here, at MLM we will be able to lean on each other in the community and we WILL grow. As strong as we are as people of color, our babies can be stronger and live longer. We want to make that happen with you, showing everyone that mothers of color in Battle Creek breastfeed too!
virtual baby shower
Our Team
Rickeshia Williams, CLS, CLC, MCD, CBE
Executive Director & Co Founder
Lactation Professional Certified Birth Doula Childbirth Educator & Facilitator
Cynthia Wiescholek
Certified Birth Doula
Hispanic Lead/Facilitator
Coalition Member
Stephanie Freeman, CLC, BD, CPD
Co Founder Lactation Professional Birth Doula Certified Postpartum Doula & Facilitator
Anna Saup MCD, MCPCD,
Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula
Postpartum Depression Counselor
Coalition Member
Consuela Hubbard
Personal Assistant Receptionist
CPR-First Aid
Coalition Member
Denise Young
Peer Counselor
Coalition Member
Jazimien Clark, LPN, PD
Postpartum Doula
Coalition Member
Candice James
Peer Counselor
Coalition Member
Rosibel Kersjes LMT, LE, BD, CA
Hispanic Lead /Facilitator
Coalition Member
Mark Williams I.T.
Fathers Speak Facilitator Accounting
Maintenance
Coalition Member
Sierra Smith
Peer Counselor
Coalition Member
KyLeona Ogletree
Intern
Coalition Member
Jozzlyn Reed
Volunteer
Coalition Member
N'Neka Todd
Coalition Member
Rayven Felix
Coalition Member
Jessie Reyes CBD
Coalition Member
Help Yourself Through Formula Shortages!
223 E Roosevelt Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49037
Our breastfeeding coalition meetings are a safe space for our mothers of color and community members to come together virtually (Pandemic Precaution) every second Saturday of the month for some real talk on disparities, how to overcome breastfeeding barriers, what support is needed in our community, event planning and more! This is not only a breastfeeding friendly space, but a kid friendly space! We have a kid friendly video and snacks for them too! (when meeting in person) We want to make improvements, we want to help make positive changes in our breastfeeding rates, but it starts with you! one of the Beautiful things about our Coalition is not only Can you get lactation support during the meeting but we feel your voice is valuable even if you Did Not Breastfeed! Fathers, your voices should be heard too . . . And we want to hear from you Join us every 2nd Saturday From 6 to 7 pm light treats and refreshments provided when and if meetings are held in person.
The Sistah to Sistah Breastfeeding Club meets every last Thursday of the month (VIRTUALLY for now due to Covid 19). This Club is For women of color who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Here you can talk Freely with other mothers Just like yourself about any and everything.We offer lactation support, food (when meeting in person), and breastfeeding supplies, so that if needed we can help you through any issue you may be having. Join us every Last Thursday of the month from 5:45 pm to 6:45pm•
see you soon.
Milk Like Mine Presents:
Your birth, your experience, your story. If you have a plan about birthing your baby, we will work hard to make sure you have it. to be respected as the birthing person in charge of your body, your care and your baby. Our approach to labor and delivery will leave you with the best possible memories no matter your birthing situation. We will be safe especially during these uncertain times of the Covid-19 Pandemic. you get us Prenatally, through labor, and because we are Certified Lactation professionals you also benefit from our birth-to-breast motto as we stick by you through your first hours of breastfeeding experiences. We want to give you Full Circle care. Its our absolute that you chose us for your birthing experience to share!
Milk like Hers, Milk like Yours, Milk Like Mine!
We have been working hard to get Milk Like Mine! going so that we can have our offical debut as a coalition a public resource on August 28th of 2019 during Black Breastfeeding Week. Here at Milk Like Mine! we're proud to serve the Battle Creek community. We’re committed to not only providing quality but lasting solutions with YOUR INPUT AND YOUR IDEAS for what will work and what has prevented breastfeeding from working. We want to go above and beyond what's been done before to bridge the gap in the numbers of the African American babies and other babies of color breastfed in our community to or counterparts to ensure our babies, the mamas and families that feed them are completely satisfied and are as healthy as they can be. We welcome you to look through our site to see all we have to offer.
In Light Of the Covid-19 Pandemic
To respect the health and wellbeing of all of our mothers, community members, and the children who would normally attend our meetings, we are meeting virtually and In-person, offering services for lactation support virtually and in person if all parties are well as soon as hospital discharge! If further help is needed we are willing to make arrangements with and for you for you to get the very best in person care in your time of need and connect you with additional recourses.
Where we started and how it integrates into our foundation
We had been meeting in a conference room in Parkway Manor on Truth Dr. This is the perfect location for us to start in for a few reasons; the first being the location itself. Parkway Manor is in the Heart of the community! If needing help with breastfeeding is a barrier to starting, continuing and doing well, and you do not have transportation to get the help; we may be able to change that; by being in a location that’s closer to where the breastfeeding families live. The second reason is in the name of the street; "Truth Dr." Pulling in mothers of color and their families from the community to talk about the "whats", the "whys", and the "hows" we need to be able to tell the TRUTH to make a difference and a change. And last but most certainly not least, this building is ran by African Americans in the same community we are trying to serve. They also provide several free services to our community and allow other community resources to come in during one of their events to educate the community on what Battle Creek has to offer. Best of all for us, THEY BELIEVE IN WHAT WE WILL DO AS A COALITION WITH LACTATION SUPPORT!
Exceeding Your Expectations
Lactation Support
If we are going to improve the breastfeeding rates we know good support and education is needed so beyond the coalition that's what we want to offer all the Mothers of Color and their Families who want and need it as well as those that are breastfeeding/ chestfeeding who don't identify as BIPOC that find themselves in need of lactation assistance. In collaboration with our sisters in Southeastern Michigan IBCLC's of Color we are offering weekly virtual breastfeeding support groups from 3to 4 pm every Saturday. Tune in to Facebook for details!
WE NOW OFFER VIRTUAL LACTATION SUPPORT AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE!
Sistah to Sistah Breastfeeding Club
This is a mother to mother support group for pregnant and breastfeeding women of color in the community as the rest of our services are free of charge, fun to attend and an open space for expression for what you're going through in your journey. This is currently happening monthly both virtually via zoom and in person.
Birthing Bellies Like Mine!
Remembering that representation matters, advocacy is needed, and the birthing person's voice is important in every birth is the very core to our foundation for our work in the Birthing Bellies Like Mine! branch. Our Doula Services was created to bring the possibility of having an great, satisfying and memorable labor and delivery. we strive to keep Doula Services affordable and accessible to all who want and need it! Call Us or fill out the contact form below and book us today! Services available starting at 36wks. Please book between 2 to 4 weeks before your 36th week. payment discussed at that time.
Fathers Speak
"For Dads like Me"
Often times when we think about maternal care, infant care, birth and breastfeeding we think mother and baby; all too often seeing the father as an afterthought. The 'Fathers Speak "for Dads like me"' support group was created not only to include fathers into the mother baby dyad but see them as a whole as a Triad if you will. In this hybrid space (now both on zoom and in person) fathers, fathers -to -be, fathers of toddlers teens and all ages in between, adoptive fathers and those that are father figures can gather and talk about what its like to be fathers in todays world. They discuss how the birth trauma endured by the mother affected them, breastfeeding, adapting to the ages and stages of the growing child, changes in the household, relationships and co-parenting. while this group is exclusively for fathers, it is our hope that having open conversations in a safe space will improve the communication in the whole family dynamic and enhance the relationship between the parents. The fathers support one another in and out of the meetings; including when the mothers go into labor. They meet Monthly. Please Inquire for details.
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Teens & Young Mamas
Y.oung E.ducated E.mpowered M.amas
Coalition Meetings for Women of Color Monthly
Leche Como La Mia
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Moods Like Mine
This program that will include childbirth education, birth doula services, lactation education and support, mentoring from successful mothers from the community that were also teen or young mothers. One young mother a year will be chosen to be sent for training in lactation education. The difference in the way we will work with our Y.E.E.M teens is their learning will be done in the way they want to learn best we have made games that will allow them to learn and practice what they need to birth safely and breastfeed while avoiding common breastfeeding issues. We will also be coming to them at the schools to further remove barriers they may have in seeking services they need. The purpose for the program is not just for them to learn, but to reshape the mindset that young/teen mothers won't be successful. We will encourage, empower and uplift them giving them the support they need how they want it. They will learn self advocacy and we are confident that all of this will build their confidence in being parents. Our problem is also designed for them to create support in each other.
Our meetings are always open to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and their families from Battle Creek and Calhoun County as well as members interested in birth and breastfeeding work. These meetings will take place with members of our coalition and team who also live in the community and will sometimes feature guests from other African American organizations or that serve people of color that want to improve breastfeeding rates and birth outcomes or specialize in dispensaries and inequities. This may include women or men that may or may not have children but are committed toward reducing maternal and infant disparities. This is currently happening via zoom and in person.
All of Milk Like Mine's Amazing services are available in Spanish via direct services or through our Hispanic lead Rosibel's translation skills. We are very excited to be offering these services so that more Women of Color get the care and services they need.
Todos los increíbles servicios de Milk Like Mine (Leche Como La Mia) están disponibles en español a través de servicios directos o a través de las habilidades de traducción de nuestra líder hispana Rosibel. Estamos muy emocionados de ofrecer estos servicios para que más mujeres de color obtengan la atención y los servicios que necesitan.
Moods Like Mine is the latest addition to the Milk Like Mine programs and is available to all mamas. We know that life in the time frame after birth is not always sunshine and rainbows in fact it can feel like dark clouds and thunderstorms. Having "Baby Blues" or Postpartum Depression can have us convincing ourselves that we are alone.. But the data shows that this is very far from the truth. We are breaking the stigma on the way postpartum depression is looked at, delt with and talked about by creating a safe space for one another to cry talk embrace and learn to deal. We can feel better together. So lets do just that, because Moods Like Mine are Moods Like Yours!
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