Title
Infant-feeding consumerism in the age of intensive mothering and risk society
Abbreviated Journal Title
J. Consum. Cult.
Keywords
intensive mothering; risk society; United States; breastfeeding; infant; feeding; consumerism; consumption; BREAST; CONSUMPTION; MOTHERHOOD; MORALITY; MILK; Cultural Studies; Sociology
Abstract
The ideologies of intensive mothering and risk society place increasing burden on mothers to make critical choices regarding infant feeding that are understood as having irreversible consequences for their children's long-term health and emotional well-being. Although research has examined consequences of these ideologies on mothers' decisions to breastfeed or formula-feed their infants, little has focused on consumer decisions regarding formulas, baby food and feeding-related items. This article examines symbolic meanings attached to infant food and feeding-related consumer items among first-time mothers in the United States. Results indicate broad categories of baby-oriented consumerismqualities and characteristics mothers sought for their babies through feeding-related consumer behaviorsand mother-oriented consumerismqualities and characteristics mothers sought for themselves through consumer behaviors. Baby-oriented consumerism included health, comfort, taste and development, and mother-oriented consumerism included knowledge/control, compliance, convenience, frugality, relationships and self-image.
Journal Title
Journal of Consumer Culture
Volume
13
Issue/Number
3
Publication Date
1-1-2013
Document Type
Article
Language
English
First Page
387
Last Page
405
WOS Identifier
ISSN
1469-5405
Recommended Citation
"Infant-feeding consumerism in the age of intensive mothering and risk society" (2013). Faculty Bibliography 2010s. 3590.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2010/3590
Comments
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