Bottle, The Breast, and the State

The Bottle, the Breast, and the State: The Politics of Infant Feeding in the United States exploresthe ways in which breastfeeding is both promoted and made difficult in the United States. It alsoexamines how the use of formula is often shamed yet encouraged by many standard medical andgovernment practices. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, it explores the politics,policies, and individual experiences surrounding infant feeding. Oakley shows that a failure toseparate the issue of breastfeeding rights and support, from problematic approaches to breastfeedingadvocacy, in both academic scholarship and public discourse, has led to a deadlock thatprevents groups from working together in support of breastfeeding without shaming. Drawing on afeminist ethic of care, Oakley develops a caring infant feeding advocacy. This approach values thecaring work done by parents and recognizes the benefits of this work for society. It promotes policies supportive of parenting in general and breastfeeding in particular, in order to remove barriersthat present a challenge to some women who wish to breastfeed. Caring infant feeding advocacyalso works to promote the development of better alternatives for those who do not breastfeed.