Feminism, breasts and breast feeding

Description

Using a feminist perspective this book examines the vast amount of writing and talking about breast-feeding. Drawing on women's own accounts the author shows that most texts considerably oversimplify the picture by suggesting baby-milk manufacturers as the only villains of the piece in the decline of breast-feeding during the twentieth century. A more complex understanding takes account of the sexualisation of breasts, the working conditions under which infant-feeding takes place, professional interventions into mothering, and women's experiences of their bodies. Class and race are also significant: middle-class women to follow professional advice; black women particularly disappoint Western policy-makers in not living up to expectations that they will be natural breast-feeders. Policies, professional guidelines and popular breast-feeding books, shown to be preoccupied with getting women to do what they deem is natural, fail to address women's real needs. Finally, ideas for a feminist practice in infant-feeding are explored.

First Sentence

Although breast-feeding is a uniquely female activity, and all literature and practices concerned with infant feeding are by definition about women, it has held little interest for feminists.

Excerpt

Although breast-feeding is a uniquely female activity, and all literature and practices concerned with infant feeding are by definition about women, it has held little interest for feminists.

Subjects

Other Editions

• Feminism, breasts and breast feedingSt. Martin's Press1995-01-01
• Feminism, breasts and breast-feedingMacmillan1995-01-01
• Feminism, Breasts and BreastfeedingHardcoverPalgrave Macmillan1995-12-15