The breastfeeding problematic: Negotiating maternal sexuality in heterosexual partnerships

Carathers, JaDee

doi:10.1016/j.wsif.2017.10.002

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…However, our findings differ from researchers who discovered that Western societies’ inability to divorce the biologically functional and sexual role of women’s breasts results in breastfeeding being seen as a private function and consequently breastfeeding in public being perceived as inappropriate [ 13 ]. Furthermore, our findings differ from those who discovered that male partners and members of the public were uncomfortable with women breastfeeding in public [ 8 , 9 ]. Indeed, some of the research cited above even saw formula feeding to be more convenient than breastfeeding [ 8 ], whereas breastfeeding mothers struggled with the sexual fluidity of their breasts in social and intimate contexts [ 9 ].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, our findings differ from those who discovered that male partners and members of the public were uncomfortable with women breastfeeding in public [ 8 , 9 ]. Indeed, some of the research cited above even saw formula feeding to be more convenient than breastfeeding [ 8 ], whereas breastfeeding mothers struggled with the sexual fluidity of their breasts in social and intimate contexts [ 9 ]. Other researchers have shown how negative and even aggressive attitudes and actions by the public have caused mothers not to breastfeed in public.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…On the issue of whether a child’s needs and entitlement to mother’s milk ought to override those of others , we discovered a statistically significant difference by income, age and education but not in race. Our study supports those by researchers who showed behavioral perceptions and attitudes (positive and negative) about breastfeeding impacting breastfeeding initiation and sustenance [ 9 , 13 ]. Their findings also showed that people with low to lower middle incomes were more likely to agree with a child’s needs and entitlement to mother’s milk overriding those of others.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In a study that explored the dimension of maternal sexuality to clarify the role of fathers influence, the researchers revealed that the breastfeeding behavior of women is in direct response to both the presence of men when breastfeeding in public and partner interrupted intimacy, defined as how children’s breastfeeding behavior interrupts parents’ intimacy [ 9 ]. This, according to the authors, highlights “the dilemma of maternal sexuality as women struggle with the sexual fluidity of their breasts in social and intimate contexts” [ 10 , 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Women’s Perceptions about Breastfeeding: A Preliminary Study

2020

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Background: Breastfeeding rates are low in many communities in the United States and require attention to come up with ideas that will help increase breastfeeding. This study investigated the effects of income, age, race and education on mothers’ perceptions about breastfeeding and whose needs and views should be considered in a women’s breastfeeding journey. Methods: A survey was distributed via email and Facebook to 525 participants; 453 participants (86.3%) responded to the survey. Results: Younger adults were more likely to agree that fathers should have some say about breastfeeding. Those earning USD 0–USD 50,000 were more likely to agree relative to those with higher incomes on children being entitled to mother’s milk, and children’s needs over-riding those of others. There was a statistically significant difference by education about women's wishes about breastfeeding being considered more important than those of their spouses. However, there was no statistically significant difference for any demographic group for breastfeeding decisions coming from women only. On women’s breasts being primarily for infant's nutrition, people who earned USD 0–USD 50,000 were more likely to agree relative to those who earned more than USD 50,000; younger adults were significantly more likely to agree. Those who earned USD 0–USD 50,000 were more likely to agree relative to those in other income brackets that extended family members should have input regarding babies being breastfed; minority participants were significantly more likely to agree relative to white participants; those with less than 4-year college education were more likely to agree relative to those with a minimum of four-year college education. Younger adults were more likely to agree that employers must provide extended maternity leave to make it easier for mothers to breastfeed. On women having the right to breastfeed in public places, younger adults were significantly more likely to agree compared to older adults. Conclusion: Women have favorable views about breastfeeding and prefer being in charge about decisions to breastfeed.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Women’s Perceptions about Breastfeeding: A Preliminary Study

2020

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“…Breastfeeding, particularly in public, troubles normative constructions of breasts in terms of (hetero)sexuality (Rodriguez‐Garcia and Frazier 1995), creating ambiguity of their purpose (Carter 1996) and positioning breastfeeding as a ‘scandal’ at the boundary ‘where maternity meets sexuality’ (Bartlett 2002, Boyer 2016, Carathers 2017, 71, Grant 2016). As Stearns (1999) points out, the good maternal body is imagined as asexual so lactating breasts represent a transgression of the cultural scripts available to, and about, women.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘I just don’t think it’s that natural’: adolescent mothers’ constructions of breastfeeding as deviant

Jamie

McGeagh

Bows

et al. 2020

Sociology Health & Illness

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Breastfeeding is recognised globally as the optimal method of infant feeding. For Murphy (1999) its nutritional superiority positions breastfeeding as a moral imperative where mothers who formula-feed are open to charges of maternal deviance and must account for their behaviour. We suggest that this moral superiority of breastfeeding is tenuous for mothers from marginalised contexts and competes with discourses which locate breastfeeding, rather than formula feeding, as maternal deviance. We draw on focus group and interview data from 27 adolescent mothers from socioeconomically deprived neighbourhoods in three areas of the UK, and five early years professionals working at a Children's Centre in the Northeast of England. We argue that breastfeeding is constructed as deviance at three 'levels' as (i) a deviation from broad social norms about women's bodies, (ii) a deviation from local mothering behaviours and (iii) a transgression within micro-level interpersonal and familial relationships. Given this positioning of breastfeeding as deviant, breastfeeding mothers feel obliged to account for their deviance. In making this argument, we extend and rework Murphy's (1999) framework to encompass diverse experiences of infant feeding. We conclude with reflections on future research directions and potential implications for practice.

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Connecting through touch: Attitudes toward touch in pregnancy are associated with couples’ sexual and affectionate behaviors across the transition to parenthood

Tavares,

Brandelli,

Dawson

et al. 2024

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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Touch is a universal nonverbal action often used by romantic partners to demonstrate affection and care for each other. Attitudes toward touch might be particularly relevant across periods of relational strain—such as the transition to parenthood—when couples face many novel stressors and shifting priorities which can interfere with their sexual and affectionate experiences. New parent couples ( N = 203) completed self-report measures online across six time-points (two prenatal). We tested whether couples’ attitudes toward touch (touch aversion, touch for affection, touch for emotion regulation) at baseline (20 weeks mid-pregnancy) predicted their frequency of sexual and affectionate behaviors from mid-pregnancy through 12-month postpartum. Both partners’ more positive attitudes toward touch (i.e., for affection and emotion regulation) and lower aversive attitudes toward touch, as measured in mid-pregnancy, predicted couples’ higher frequency and variety of sexual and affectionate behaviors at 3-month postpartum. Touch attitudes generally did not predict the degree of change in the frequency or variety of sexual or affectionate behaviors, with one exception: non-birthing parents’ more positive attitudes toward touch for emotion regulation in mid-pregnancy predicted a slower decline in couples’ affectionate behaviors across pregnancy. Findings underscore a link between new parents’ attitudes toward touch and their subsequent sexual and affectionate behaviors, particularly in the early postpartum period. New parents need to navigate novel sexual changes and a nonverbal strategy such as touch might be useful to promote intimacy and care.

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The breastfeeding problematic: Negotiating maternal sexuality in heterosexual partnerships

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Women’s Perceptions about Breastfeeding: A Preliminary Study

Women’s Perceptions about Breastfeeding: A Preliminary Study

‘I just don’t think it’s that natural’: adolescent mothers’ constructions of breastfeeding as deviant

Connecting through touch: Attitudes toward touch in pregnancy are associated with couples’ sexual and affectionate behaviors across the transition to parenthood

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