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!"
See Our Services and Meet Our Board of Directors in the "Milk Like Mine Services" & "Board of Directors" Section (found in menu or Below)
"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
Bldg. (269)234-5908 24hr (269)280-2669
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:
Pregnancy Testing with Proof of Pregnancy
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 With One on One Sessions
Father to Father Support Group
Supplies as needed
All Services and Supplies Free of Charge
Milk Like Mine! Presents BIRTHING BELLIES LIKE MINE! Fathers speak and Milk Like Mine Baby Cafe Our newest branches in services. This is a Doula Services Just For YOU as well es drop in lactation support with for moms dads and those that are expecting. We know are dads and father figures need a voice so Fathers Speak is just for them. Call us to inquire, interview and schedule with us. We will make sure your birthing, lactation and parenting 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? See the services section or 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!
Milk Like Mine Baby Cafe
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Donate to Help Families in Need and Keep Things Free at Milk Like Mine
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Shop With US!
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
Mark Williams I.T.
Fathers Speak Facilitator Accounting
Maintenance
Coalition Member
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 Birth Doula
Coalition Member
Jazimien Clark, LPN, PD
Postpartum Doula
Coalition Member
Candice James
Peer Counselor
Coalition Member
Jozzlyn Reed
Volunteer
Coalition Member
Rosibel Kersjes LMT, LE, BD, CA
Hispanic Lead /Facilitator
Coalition Member
Karen Garcia
DO, FAAP, FAOBP, IBCLC
Coalition Member
Sierra Smith
Peer Counselor
Coalition Member
Bree Warren
Success in Recovery Advocate
Coalition Member
Nyla Williams
Kids Zone Supervisor
Coalition Member
Darika Williams
Peer Volunteer & Office assistant
Coalition Member
Jessie Reyes CBD
Coalition Member
(Not Pictured: Stephanie Freeman, Co-Founder)
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 in person and virtually (Pandemic Precaution) every second Monday 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.
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For The Expanded Service List Click Services Below (For Mobile users See the menu area drop down bars at the top right corner)
Baby Cafés are free, drop-in, informal breastfeeding support groups offering ongoing professional lactation care and intervention. Most are open for 2 hours at least once a week. Some communities have more than one, meeting different days of the week. Milk Like Mine's Baby Café meets every other Friday from 6-8pm every month with the exception of the day after Thanksgiving. Our Baby Café is Cofacilitated by Rickeshia Williams CLS, CLC and Dr. Karen Garcia IBCLC, and supported by other MLM staff. Both parents can feel free to join us if baby is being fed breastmilk (human milk). That means whether you feed at breast, via pumped milk, SNS, or you mix feed this is the place for you!
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!
