By Linels Higuera Ancidey, IBCLC, MPH Candidate, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Field Placement with Breastfeed Durham, Summer 2025
The First Peel: A Circle Rooted in Community
In Durham, North Carolina, Un Día a la Vez represents a steadily growing, community-driven effort to support maternal and child health through culturally responsive care. Led by three dedicated bilingual professionals from the local community, this Spanish-language perinatal support circle provides a welcoming space for Spanish-speaking families to access breastfeeding education, mental health support, and culturally affirming peer connection.
The initiative is an example of what’s possible when community trust, grassroots leadership, and culturally relevant programming come together. Since its beginning, Un Día a la Vez has evolved slowly but meaningfully, responding to the real and complex needs of its participants.
As one of the co-founders of Un Día a la Vez, I have been deeply involved in shaping the circle’s vision and direction. For my MPH practicum, I focused on two core areas: developing a six-module facilitator training curriculum and creating a Spanish-language social media and digital communication toolkit.
The Pith: Why This Work Matters
Breastfeeding offers well-documented health benefits for both parent and child. Yet many families face challenges that can lead to early weaning, such as perceived low milk supply, pain or discomfort, and limited access to effective counseling.
For Spanish-speaking families, these barriers are compounded by systemic inequities that go far beyond language. Cultural disconnect, underrepresentation in health systems, and fear of seeking care due to immigration concerns often prevent families from accessing the support they need. For many, seeking help may feel like a violation of familial privacy or a threat to their sense of safety. Additionally, a widespread belief (often reinforced by commercial marketing) that formula is equivalent to human milk continues to undermine breastfeeding confidence in these communities.
Initiatives like Un Día a la Vez are urgently needed. By offering support rooted in cultural connection, shared experience, and trust, we are addressing these structural barriers head-on. This model aligns with the CDC’s Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Support and the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to integrate lactation care into public health systems.
Segments of Support: From Cuties to Curriculum
One small but powerful symbol of Un Día a la Vez is the tangerine, affectionately known as a “cutie.” In the early days, one facilitator would bring tangerines to every session. Over time, they became a beloved ritual. Their segmented form came to represent the gradual, step-by-step journey of pregnancy, breastfeeding, postpartum, parenting, and healing. The fruit brought comfort, and its nickname captured the joy that babies bring to every gathering.
This simple act of sharing “cuties” reflects the heart of the initiative: nurturing, accessible, and rooted in community. As the circle continues to grow, we have recognized the need to transition Un Día a la Vez into a truly community-led and sustainable initiative.
To support that vision, I developed a six-module facilitator training curriculum designed to prepare participants to lead future sessions. The curriculum includes core competencies in peer support, group facilitation, and culturally responsive health education. In parallel, participants are being sponsored to complete Community Health Worker and lactation educator certifications, further preparing them to respond to real-time needs with evidence-based, culturally aligned information.
To complement this, I created a Spanish-language social media and digital communications toolkit that includes ready-to-use templates, culturally relevant messaging, and visuals inspired by the group itself -including, of course, the tangerine. The toolkit is designed to share evidence-based information on breastfeeding, perinatal mental health, and common myths. It makes it easier to reach Spanish-speaking families through social media while honoring the warm, welcoming spirit of the circle.
Fresh Segments: Adaptability and Growth
Though not originally part of the practicum scope, I also represented Un Día a la Vez at seven community events. This outreach directly resulted in three guest speakers joining our sessions, enriching discussions and expanding the circle’s impact.
One of the biggest lessons learned was that the materials and content we create must remain flexible, living documents that evolve alongside community needs.
For example, in response to the July 2025 floods that affected Chapel Hill and Durham, we developed a session on infant and young child feeding in emergencies. When asked what she would need first in an emergency, one mother responded: “If there is an emergency, the only thing I need is my baby next to me, I have all my baby needs.” Another participant shared her surprise about cold sanitation kits for bottles and baby items.
Later that same month, we added a session on infant safety, addressing babyproofing, the use of bouncers and walkers, and the impact of developmental milestones on breastfeeding. These adaptations reflect the dynamic nature of the circle and the power of community voices to shape meaningful content.
Seeds of Sustainability: Planting What Comes Next
The short-term impact of this practicum includes stronger facilitator preparation and increased awareness of culturally relevant breastfeeding and mental health support. Long-term, the goal is to improve breastfeeding continuation rates among Spanish-speaking families in Durham and build a model that can be adapted and replicated in other communities.
This work supports broader public health goals, including those of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, which calls for a culturally competent workforce to address disparities in prevention, care, and health outcomes.
By equipping participants to become facilitators, Un Día a la Vez is not only growing leadership from within—it’s cultivating a trusted, resilient network rooted in shared language, lived experience, and collective care.
From Peel to Heart: Thank You
Deepest thanks to Love Anderson and all Breastfeed Durham for the opportunity to complete my practicum through this organization, and to Nicola Young and Anne Fields, the brilliant minds behind Un Día a la Vez and my co-facilitators in this work. I am also grateful to Katushka Olave for generously offering space for our meetings and donations, and to all the doulas and Duke medical students who have volunteered their time and care to support Spanish-speaking families in Durham. Your contributions have helped nurture a truly meaningful and growing community.
One More Cutie: Fresh juice for Community-Led Care
If you’re moved by this work, consider becoming a monthly sustainer. Initiatives like Un Día a la Vez, and much of Breastfeed Durham’s community outreach, exist because of people like you, not government contracts.
Together, we can keep showing up for families.