Understanding the social and cultural influences on breast-feeding today.
Breast-feeding is a key public health target but social and cultural factors are often overlooked when encouraging mothers to choose breast-feeding as their method of infant feeding. Historically, there have always been some mothers who have sought alternatives to breast-feeding. Age, level of education and occupation impact upon a mother's choice, and the sexualization of the female breast can lead to embarrassment when mothers breast-feed outside the home. Fear of damaging their body shape can prevent some mothers from breast-feeding, while others see breast-feeding as desirable as it can lead to weight loss. The attitudes of partners, relatives and friends can influence mothers to varying degrees in their choice of infant feeding. Knowledge of various influences can assist health professionals in their public health role and help them to give mothers advice relevant to their circumstances.
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Battersby
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001828:Body Image; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D017407:Family Leave; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012945:Social Values