Peach Table Talk 3.0: An Intimate Breastfeeding Lunch & Learn
Celebrating Black Breastfeeding Week 2026: “We All We Got”
Sunday, August 23rd, was an afternoon filled with education, connection, storytelling, and community at Rozar Park in Perry, Georgia, as It Takes A Village – Maternal Health Expo, Inc. hosted Peach Table Talk 3.0: An Intimate Breastfeeding Lunch & Learn.
The history of Black breastfeeding, the connection between massage and breastfeeding, an engaging panel discussion with lactation professionals and breastfeeding mothers, and the highly interactive Pump Playground were all a hit!
IBCLCs, a physical therapist, breastfeeding mothers, families, and community members came together to better understand breastfeeding in the Black community and learn about resources available throughout the area. The event was held in recognition of Black Breastfeeding Week 2026, whose theme is “We All We Got.”
And guess what?
We Are!!
Honoring Our History
The afternoon began with a powerful presentation on the History of Black Breastfeeding, presented by Brittany Zania. Brittany shared how our past continues to influence our present and reminded us that much of what we know about breastfeeding comes from the people who raised us—and the information they received from their parents and grandparents.
Generational knowledge is powerful.
When families leave out pieces of their history, we may lose wisdom, experiences, traditions, and knowledge that could benefit future generations. Storytelling gives us an opportunity to reclaim those pieces, recognize our own stories, acknowledge what we have experienced, and share that knowledge with our children.
Understanding where we have been helps us better understand where we are—and where we want to go.
The Connection Between Massage, Breastfeeding & Well-Being
Katherine Sylvester, a physical therapist, helped attendees explore the connection between massage, relaxation, stress, and breastfeeding.
Her presentation highlighted how caring for the body can also support overall well-being. Creating opportunities to relax, release tension, and care for ourselves is especially important during the postpartum period, when mothers are often focused almost entirely on caring for everyone else. She also provided massages to some of the attendees.
Maternal well-being matters.
Real Conversations: The Breastfeeding Panel
The panel discussion brought together both professional expertise and lived experience.
Our panelists included Leia Giddens, Tosha Harris, and Alanna Camps, all International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), along with Ashanti White and Brittany Zania, two mothers who openly shared their breastfeeding experiences—including both the challenges and successes they encountered along the way.
Patricia Prime served as moderator.
The conversation ranged from simple questions, such as “What exactly does a lactation professional do?”, to deeper questions about whether mothers felt supported throughout their breastfeeding journeys.
The audience also wanted answers about:
Where families can find breastfeeding resources.
How families can access lactation support when they cannot afford private services.
Available breastfeeding support groups.
How to navigate the postpartum period.
What meaningful support should look like for breastfeeding mothers and their families.
The conversation reminded us that breastfeeding support must be accessible, compassionate, culturally responsive, and available to families who need it most.
The Pump Playground
The Pump Playground was another crowd favorite!
Leia Giddens did an amazing job showcasing a variety of breast pumps and demonstrating how they work. Attendees were able to touch and feel the pumps, ask questions, compare features, and better understand when and why pumping may be beneficial.
For many families, choosing a breast pump can feel overwhelming. Having an opportunity to see different pumps in person—and ask questions from a lactation professional—helped make the process much less intimidating.
And Then There Was Lunch!
Of course, no intimate community gathering would be complete without good food!
A huge thank-you to Tiffany Lesane with Elyse Catering for providing a delicious Walking Taco Bar. The food was a hit and gave everyone an opportunity to sit together, eat, talk, laugh, and continue building community.
We All We Got—and We Are!
Black Breastfeeding Week 2026 gave us an opportunity to celebrate more than breastfeeding. It gave us an opportunity to celebrate community, history, knowledge, lived experience, support, and collective power.
At It Takes A Village – Maternal Health Expo, Inc., our mission is to recognize disparities, dismantle health inequities, and improve maternal health outcomes.
That work includes making sure our community understands the importance of caring for mothers—not just during pregnancy and birth, but throughout the postpartum period.
The postpartum period deserves our attention.
In Georgia, maternal deaths occurring during the postpartum period remain a significant concern, and many pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable. This means that what happens after a baby is born matters just as much as what happens before and during birth.
Mothers need care.
Mothers need support.
Mothers need resources.
Mothers need to be heard.
And mothers should never have to navigate the postpartum journey alone.
It Takes A Village
Peach Table Talk 3.0 reminded us of something we already know but must continue to say out loud:
We are stronger when we come together.
We are the storytellers.
We are the educators.
We are the professionals.
We are the mothers.
We are the families.
We are the village.
We All We Got.
And guess what?
WE ARE!!
Thank you to everyone who attended, shared their story, asked a question, offered a resource, volunteered, provided food, educated our community, or simply showed up.
This is what community looks like.
This is what collective care looks like.
And this is why It Takes A Village.