Media and breastfeeding: Friend or foe?

Jane D Brown,Sheila Peuchaud

doi:10.1186/1746-4358-3-15

Jane D Brown, Sheila Peuchaud

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4358-3-15

Copy DOI

Abstract

The mass media have the potential to be powerful friends or foes in promoting breastfeeding. The media could help by putting the issue of breastfeeding on policy agendas and by framing breastfeeding as healthy and normative for baby and mother. Currently, however, it looks as if the media are more often contributing to perceptions that breastfeeding is difficult for mothers and potentially dangerous for babies. This paper presents a brief overview of research on the media and breastfeeding, some insights into the market forces and human psychological factors that may play into media representations of breastfeeding, and strategies to help breastfeeding advocates work more effectively with the media.

Highlights

What we know about representations of breastfeeding in the media Little systematic research has been done on the portrayal or effects of breastfeeding in the media
A recent analysis of 615 articles published between 1997 and 2003 in seven popular parenting, general women's, and African American magazines in the United States found that the magazines provided more information on breastfeeding than formula feeding, responsibility was placed on the mother [2]
The importance of social policy and partner support were rarely mentioned [2]. Another analysis showed that the number of advertisements promoting infant formula and related products in the influential Parents magazine increased dramatically between 1972 and 1999, just as the percentage of women initiating breastfeeding declined [3]

Summary

Introduction

What we know about representations of breastfeeding in the media Little systematic research has been done on the portrayal or effects of breastfeeding in the media. One analysis of the popular Dr Spock baby care books found that in the early editions (1945, 1968) Spock promoted breastfeeding as "the natural way" and suggested that mothers would physically benefit from the practice [1]. A recent analysis of 615 articles published between 1997 and 2003 in seven popular parenting, general women's, and African American magazines in the United States found that the magazines provided more information on breastfeeding than formula feeding, responsibility was placed on the mother [2].

Results

Conclusion