Breastfeeding+in+the+United+States+of+America-+Subculture-Intensive+Mothering

By: Ashley Gadarowski

Intensive mothering is described as a gendered model that strongly advises mothers to extend a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money raising their children (Avishai, 2007; Lee, 2011). It is recommended that women exclusively breastfeed during the first 6 months of their child’s life and should continue exclusively throughout the first year (Avishai, 2007; Lee, 2011). Successful breastfeeding is measured in terms of initiation rates, duration, amount of lactation, and exclusivity (Avishai, 2007; Lee, 2011). Successful motherhood is then dependent upon successful breastfeeding. Breastfeeding, once associated with poor, immigrant, and unsophisticated women, has now become a marker of privileged motherhood because success highly depends on the mother’s access to adequate nourishment, rest, and a relaxing environment (Avishai, 2007). Privileged mothers seek scientific knowledge in order to control, plan and manage their pregnancies (Avishai, 2007). Research in the United States has recently looked at the way consumerism, technology, medicine, and professionalism have impacted contemporary parenting with particular focus on motherhood (Avishai, 2007). Mothers are expected to optimize every aspect of their child’s life as served and controlled by medical advice rendering living by the numbers a cultural accomplishment (Avishai, 2007).

Breastfeeding and motherhood have been and continue to be matters of public and political interest even though medicalization of infant-feeding depoliticizes gender relations by allowing for it to be seen as a universal good for women babies and the wider community. Women are encouraged to breastfeed through policy agendas and medical advice, yet many women are left without sufficient and practical support to make this feasible (Lee, 2011). As compared to working class mothers, privileged mothers are more likely to initiate breastfeeding, continue breast feeding beyond the first few days, and achieve exclusivity (Avishai, 2007). Avashi (2007) argues that privileged women respond to cultural pressures by viewing breastfeeding as another task to be accomplished. Privileged mothers have created a market for products and resources such as nursing bras, lactation pumps, books, and lactation consultants and classes.

References

Avishai, O. (2007). Managing the lactating body: The breast-feeding project and privileged motherhood. //Qualitative Sociology//, //30//(2), 135-152.

Lee, E. (2011). Breast-feeding advocacy, risk society and health moralism: A decade's scholarship. //Sociology Compass, 5//(12), 1058-1069. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9020.2011.00424.x