In my article, "The cultural art of breastfeeding," I describe five
dimensions of culture, in general, and then those five dimensions as they
relate to breastfeeding. Here's an excerpt regarding the timing of
breastfeeding, one cultural dimension of breastfeeding:
"The timing of breastfeeding. Mothers can breastfeed on a schedule
(imposing limits to the frequency and length of feedings and on the
duration of breastfeeding), on the baby's cue, or at the mother's
opportunity. Cue feeding is also called "demand feeding," reflecting
Western perceptions of the nature of nurslings. "Opportunity feeding"
occurs in some groups (Oomen & Malcolm 1958; Jelliffe 1962), as mothers
weave breastfeeding into daily life. A mother who is frustrated that her
baby is "still" breastfeeding or breastfeeds irregularly, with high
frequency, or for long periods may hold beliefs about time that focus on
the future and emphasize scheduling."
Here's another excerpt on how this cultural dimension plays out in the US:
"The timing of breastfeeding. The emphasis on time management in the United
States demonstrates a focus on the future. This time emphasis is extended
to infant feeding and nurturing. Western child rearing "experts" have long
urged parents to impose schedules on the sleep, play, and feeding of babies
and children lest they never learn self-discipline (Kitzinger 1995).
Breastfeeding should be done according to the clock and calendar, rather
than according to what the breast or nursling needs. Mothers working
outside the home must pump their milk or breastfeed their babies during
scheduled breaks. Babies who need to breastfeed more frequently than the
cultural norm are labeled "high need" or are perceived as being hungry
because the mother has "insufficient" or "weak" milk. The nursling who does
not easily wean at a socially expected (early) age is seen as overly
dependent, demanding, and spoiled."
Anyone wanting more information on the match and mismatch between culture
and the biology of breastfeeding can read my article in full via the
publications page of my website (http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell). My
article includes suggestions for how to work with mothers whose cultural
beliefs are poorly matched with the biology of breastfeeding.
Good Mojab, C. The cultural art of breastfeeding. Leaven. Vol. 36 No. 5,
October-November 2000, pp. 87-91
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab, MS clinical psychology, IBCLC, RLC
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell
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