"Breastfeeding, Motherhood and Feminism"

Symposium at UNCG Looks at Breastfeeding through a Feminist Lens

Dramatic changes in employment patterns in recent decades have brought women many new opportunities. But alongwith these gains come challenges, including the well-documented work-family dilemma—the struggle to be employed and provide for a family's health and well being at the same time. A woman's ability and willingness to breastfeed is strongly related to the social and labor structures of which she is part. If it is not possible to incorporate the practice into her daily schedule, she will probably not do it. Recent national data show that most women introduce formula early and do not breastfeed for very long, thereby decreasing the health benefits of the practice.

“How do we address this dilemma?” said Paige Hall Smith, Director of the Center for Women's Health and Wellness at UNC Greensboro. Research has focused on psychological and physiological reasons why women breastfeed, but less on larger social determinants. “How do we create social structures, policies, and programs in our societies that continue to advance the status of women, while at the same time making it possible for women and men to care for children and advance their health and that of their families?” said Smith. How can women effectively combine labor force participation with breastfeeding?

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This symposium was held in April. If anyone reading this attended the event, I'd really love to hear about it.... ~ Ali