Unveiling: Indigenous Breastfeeding, Birth Traditions, and First Foods

First Nations Development Institute’s Native Agricultural and Food Systems Investments (NAFSI) recognizes that Native food systems are crucial to the health and well-being of Native American children and families. First Nations has long supported Native communities as they fortify traditional food systems, seek to increase access to healthy and fresh foods, increase awareness of, and involvement with, where food comes from, and expand knowledge of the connections between foods and Native cultures.

Birthing practices, the diet of lactating mothers, and breast/chestfeeding have a profound influence on health outcomes for infants and children, developing taste preferences, and fostering environmental and cultural connections. By addressing obstacles to accessibility and promoting traditional first foods for young Indigenous families, we revitalize a robust Indigenous food system and reconnect with the cultural and spiritual dimensions of birth. Within this context, “first foods” are plant and animal resources that are local, seasonal, nutritious, and harmonious with the environment.