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Subject:
From:
Nina Berry <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 3 Oct 2006 07:50:12 +1000
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"My question being, how do you begin to influence a mother that does not
plan on breastfeeding, given the multiple advantages that have been proven
for not only the infant but the mother as well?"

Hi Beth
Interesting question.  It has lots of answers.  
Firstly Breastfeeding has no advantages.  It is phsiologically normal and as
such it is a requirement of normal infant growth and development. This is
the position of the World Halth Organization.  Artificial infant feeding
increases the risks of several long and short term adverse health
consequences. (Have a look at
Berry, N. J., Gribble, Karleen Dawn (2006). "Breast is no longer best: The
world health organization, the multicentrer growth reference study and
normal infant growth." Australia New Zealand Journal of Public Health.  If
you can't get this one, let me know)

Infant feeding decisions are overdetermined in western society they reflect
a collision of discourses around what it means to occupy a female body.
Bottom line, it is damn near impossible to be a 'good mother'- who gives her
baby the best, 'good wife' who puts her husband's need first, 'good lover'
who is mysterious, seductive, creative and definitely not lactating, 'good
employee' who works long hours enthusiastically and has no other
committments, 'good woman' - who definitely does not bare her breasts in
public places all at the same time. Something has got to give.  Often it is
breastfeeding.  Elizabeth Murphy has some interesting sociological
observations to make in her work. (start with Anticipatory accounts and
breast is best) What I notice in these studies is that her respondents have
to make one defence of their choice to bottle feed but multiple defences of
their choice to breastfeed ('I would NEVER do it in public; I would NEVER
breastfeed an older baby' etc)
Murphy, E. (1998). "Competing agendas in infant feeding." British Food
Journal 100(3): 128-132.
Murphy, E. (1999). "'breast is best': Infant feeding decisions and maternal
deviance." Sociology of Health and Illness 21(2): 187-208.
Murphy, E. (2000). "Risk, responsibility, and rhetoric in infant feeding."
Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 29(3): 291(35).
Murphy, E. (2003). "Expertise and forms of knowledge in the government of
families." The Sociological Review: 433-462.
Murphy, E. (2004). "Anticipatory accounts." Symbolic Interaction 27(2):
129-154.

This one is interesting too.  What I notice inthis study is that as well as
telling (low socioeconomic status) mothers that their babies need breastmilk
to maximise their chances of survival, this program actually provides the
support mothers need to be able to provide their milk for their babies.  It
is not enough just to tell mothers of the risks associated with not feeding,
we must also deal with the issues that Elizabeth Murphy addresses.

Miracle, Donna Jo, Meier, Paula P., Bennett, Patricia A. (2004) Mothers'
Decisions to Change From Formula to Mothers' Milk for Very-Low-Birth-Weight
Infants JOGNN 33(6): 692

Good luck with your assignement
Nina Berry BA/Bed(Hons) Dip Arts(Phil)
Breastfeeding Counsellor
PhD Candidate - "Ethical Issues in the marketing of 'Toddler Milks'"
 

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