The Milky Way is a documentary film about breastfeeding in the United States. The U.S. has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. Breastfeeding a baby — especially in public — provokes varied reactions.
This is a film by, for and about women. Stories from women, leading lactation consultants, archive footage, religious imagery and infant-formula advertising reveal how mothers' autonomy is undermined by medical and nursing staff.
Even though Germany has a higher breastfeeding rate, breastfeeding mothers face similar problems — especially during prematurity or illness of the baby. The film shows first-hand accounts from parents about the difficult start to breastfeeding.
How I became part of it
I met producer and co-author Chantal Molnar in Berlin in 2011. In 2013, Chantal Molnar (IBCLC) and Jennifer Davidsen (IBCLC) flew to Berlin with a California film crew and followed me for several days at the children's hospital, where I was then the breastfeeding coordinator.
The film's mission
The film wants to motivate mothers to persist through challenges, seek competent help, clear up well-meant but misleading advice, and encourage clinical staff to better meet families' needs.
We hope to reach many people — especially those who work with young families: postpartum staff, midwives, pediatric nurses and nurses in neonatology and pediatrics, and resident pediatricians.