Title
Infant-Feeding Consumerism In The Age Of Intensive Mothering And Risk Society
Keywords
breastfeeding; consumerism; consumption; infant feeding; intensive mothering; risk society; United States
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 consumerism - qualities and characteristics mothers sought for their babies through feeding-related consumer behaviors - and mother-oriented consumerism - qualities 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. © The Author(s) 2013.
Publication Date
11-1-2013
Publication Title
Journal of Consumer Culture
Volume
13
Issue
3
Number of Pages
387-405
Document Type
Article
Personal Identifier
scopus
DOI Link
https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540513485271
Copyright Status
Unknown
Socpus ID
84887127697 (Scopus)
Source API URL
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84887127697
STARS Citation
Afflerback, Sara; Carter, Shannon K.; Anthony, Amanda Koontz; and Grauerholz, Liz, "Infant-Feeding Consumerism In The Age Of Intensive Mothering And Risk Society" (2013). Scopus Export 2010-2014. 6426.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/scopus2010/6426