Equity, Advocacy, and Mentorship in Lactation with Jasmine Creighton

In this episode of Behind the Latch, Margaret Salty interviews Jasmine Creighton, owner of Yaya's Hands Perinatal and Lactation Services in Southern California. Jasmine is also president-elect of the Inland Empire Breastfeeding Coalition, leader of its Black Breastfeeding Task Force, a board member for the California Breastfeeding Coalition, and a perinatal health specialist at a local hospital.Together, they explore lactation equity, advocacy, and mentorship—and why representation and culturally relevant care are vital for families. Jasmine shares her powerful story of birth and breastfeeding, including her hospital birth, her home water birth, and how those experiences inspired her to support families navigating barriers to care.They also discuss systemic racism in healthcare, the historic and current challenges Black families face with breastfeeding, and how predatory formula marketing continues to impact communities of color. Jasmine explains how equity means more than equal access—it means care and resources tailored to each family’s needs.Jasmine’s Journey into Lactation and AdvocacyJasmine shares how:Her own birth and breastfeeding experiences shaped her passion for this work.She found community during the COVID pandemic that connected her to birth workers and advocates.Navigating her IBCLC pathway revealed inequities in access to mentorship, hours, and certification support—and why she now mentors others to make the journey easier.Lactation Equity as a Core ValueThey discuss:How systemic racism and bias still shape perinatal care experiences.Why Black women are often offered formula more frequently than other groups in hospitals—and how this impacts breastfeeding duration.The importance of reclaiming breastfeeding as both a health issue and a form of reproductive justice.Barriers and SolutionsJasmine highlights:The lack of culturally responsive care and providers who reflect the communities they serve.Economic and insurance barriers that limit families’ access to lactation support.The need for advocacy, scholarships, mentorship, and coalition-building to change systems and increase representation.Advice for Aspiring IBCLCsJasmine encourages providers to:Network intentionally—both online and in person.Find mentors and be a resource in return, making relationships reciprocal.Persevere despite barriers, remembering that mentorship and community are key to success.Guest InfoJasmine Creighton🌐 Website: jasminecreighton.com📸 Instagram: @jasminecreighton💼 LinkedIn: Jasmine CreightonConnect with Margaret📧 Email: [email protected]📸 Instagram: @margaretsalty📘 Facebook: Margaret Salty🎙 Hosted by: Margaret Salty🎧 Guest: Jasmine Creighton🎵 Music by: The Magnifiers, My Time Traveling MachineHashtags & Keywords#BehindTheLatch #LactationEquity #IBCLC #BlackBreastfeeding #MentorshipMatters #PerinatalHealth #CulturallyResponsiveCare #ReproductiveJustice🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast app—and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

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