1 option
Is breast best? : taking on the breastfeeding experts and the new high stakes of motherhood / Joan B. Wolf.
LIBRA RJ216 .W7193 2010
Available from offsite location
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Wolf, Joan B. (Joan Beth)
- Series:
- Biopolitics (New York, N.Y.)
- Biopolitics : medicine, technoscience, and health in the 21st century
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding--Government policy--United States.
- Breastfeeding--Social aspects.
- Breast Feeding.
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice.
- Politics.
- Public Opinion.
- Government policy.
- United States.
- Medical Subjects:
- Breast Feeding.
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice.
- Politics.
- Public Opinion.
- Physical Description:
- xvii, 241 pages ; 18 cm.
- Place of Publication:
- New York : New York University Press, [2010]
- Summary:
- Wolf (women's studies, Texas A&M U.) claims that the belief that breastfeeding is better for babies is not supported by sound evidence. She investigates how unsubstantiated beliefs about health become conventional wisdom, examining the rules of epidemiological research and the development of medical knowledge, and asks what public discourse on infant feeding in America tells us about cultural expectations of mothers and ideas about gender and motherhood. She probes the roles of advocacy organizations, government institutions, interest groups, and doctors in perpetuating what she considers the myth of breastfeeding, asserting that science has not been able to demonstrate how breast milk works to protect or promote health. The book is written in plain language, with many examples illustrating abstract concepts. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
- Contents:
- Preface : why breastfeeding?
- Monitoring mothers : a recent history of following the doctor's orders
- The science : does breastfeeding make smarter, happier, and healthier babies?
- Minding your own (risky) business : health and personal responsibility
- From the womb to the breast : total motherhood and risk-free children
- Scaring mothers : the government campaign for breastfeeding
- Conclusion : whither breastfeeding?
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- ISBN:
- 9780814794814
- 9780814795255
- OCLC:
- 643443387
- Publisher Number:
- 99941673922
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.