The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 1999
... it is significant that we have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy ... more ... it is significant that we have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy loss, for it is, as Roseanne Cecil points ... Finally, Jackson writes about legalistic attempts to distinguish between miscarriage and deliberate abortion, stillbirth and infanticide of illegitimate ...
Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992), Jan 5, 2016
To explore the link between breastfeeding duration and bed-sharing frequency among women reportin... more To explore the link between breastfeeding duration and bed-sharing frequency among women reporting a prenatal intention to breastfeed. 870 participants in a randomised breastfeeding trial, recruited at mid-pregnancy, provided weekly snapshots of breastfeeding and bed-sharing behaviour for 26 weeks following birth. Strength of prenatal breastfeeding intent was recorded at recruitment using Likert-type scales. Outcomes were frequency of bed-sharing at home for at least one hour per week, and time to cessation of breastfeeding. There were insufficient data to classify bed-sharing pattern in 192/870 (22%) of mothers. Of the remainder, 44% (299/678) of participants 'rarely' or 'never' bed-shared, 28% (192/678) did so 'intermittently' and 28% (187/678) did so 'often'. These three groups did not differ significantly in marital status, income, infant gestational age, maternal age or delivery mode. Significantly more participants who bed-shared 'often'...
Nct New Digest 2009 Vol 48 Pp 22 27 Peer Reviewed Journal, Oct 1, 2009
... functions such as temperature and breathing during the first few months of brain development.... more ... functions such as temperature and breathing during the first few months of brain development.2,3 Human milk has a similar composition to that ... world cultures'.6 Since the mid-1930s, prolonged and independent night-time sleep has been the hallmark of a 'good baby' ...
Page 36. Parental manipulation of postnatal survival and well-being: are parental sex preferences... more Page 36. Parental manipulation of postnatal survival and well-being: are parental sex preferences adaptive? CATHERINE M. HILL AND HELEN L. BALL Concerned to know the truth about the incidence of female infanticide ...
The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 1999
... it is significant that we have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy ... more ... it is significant that we have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy loss, for it is, as Roseanne Cecil points ... Finally, Jackson writes about legalistic attempts to distinguish between miscarriage and deliberate abortion, stillbirth and infanticide of illegitimate ...
Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992), Jan 5, 2016
To explore the link between breastfeeding duration and bed-sharing frequency among women reportin... more To explore the link between breastfeeding duration and bed-sharing frequency among women reporting a prenatal intention to breastfeed. 870 participants in a randomised breastfeeding trial, recruited at mid-pregnancy, provided weekly snapshots of breastfeeding and bed-sharing behaviour for 26 weeks following birth. Strength of prenatal breastfeeding intent was recorded at recruitment using Likert-type scales. Outcomes were frequency of bed-sharing at home for at least one hour per week, and time to cessation of breastfeeding. There were insufficient data to classify bed-sharing pattern in 192/870 (22%) of mothers. Of the remainder, 44% (299/678) of participants 'rarely' or 'never' bed-shared, 28% (192/678) did so 'intermittently' and 28% (187/678) did so 'often'. These three groups did not differ significantly in marital status, income, infant gestational age, maternal age or delivery mode. Significantly more participants who bed-shared 'often'...
Nct New Digest 2009 Vol 48 Pp 22 27 Peer Reviewed Journal, Oct 1, 2009
... functions such as temperature and breathing during the first few months of brain development.... more ... functions such as temperature and breathing during the first few months of brain development.2,3 Human milk has a similar composition to that ... world cultures'.6 Since the mid-1930s, prolonged and independent night-time sleep has been the hallmark of a 'good baby' ...
Page 36. Parental manipulation of postnatal survival and well-being: are parental sex preferences... more Page 36. Parental manipulation of postnatal survival and well-being: are parental sex preferences adaptive? CATHERINE M. HILL AND HELEN L. BALL Concerned to know the truth about the incidence of female infanticide ...
Maternal and Child Health Journal DOI: 10.1007/s10995-015-1798-7 (Early Online), 2015
Background
In a context with strong rhetorical support for breastfeeding in the health system, y... more Background
In a context with strong rhetorical support for breastfeeding in the health system, yet extremely low rates of breastfeeding after hospital discharge, UK women’s decisions about infant feeding reflect the reality of competing priorities in their lives, including obtaining adequate sleep. Popular wisdom in the UK tightly links breastfeeding and inadequate night-time sleep. Mothers are advised by peers and family to introduce formula or solid foods to infants to promote longer sleep.
Objectives
The first objective of this study was to investigate women’s understandings of the nature of infant sleep and their perceptions of links between infant feeding method and sleep. The second was to explore how these perceptions influence infant feeding and sleep practices. Underpinning our work is the understanding that infant care choices result from trade-offs by which mothers strive to balance infant- and self-care.
Methods
We conducted seven focus groups with mothers of infants in two regions of the UK. Verbatim transcripts were thematically coded and emergent themes were identified.
Results
We found clearly diverging narratives between breastfeeding and formula-feeding mothers. Breastfeeding mothers viewed the fragmentary nature of infant sleep as natural, while mothers who were formula feeding felt this was a problem to be fixed.
Conclusions and Practice
The strategies used to promote infant and maternal sleep in each group were aligned with their underlying perception of how infant sleep works. Maternal perceptions of the nature of infant sleep and its relation to infant feeding method impact infant care practices in the first year of life.
This workshop will bring together world-leading, international scholars with the aim of developin... more This workshop will bring together world-leading, international scholars with the aim of developing new theoretical perspectives for studying the mother-infant nexus in anthropology. The themes covered will explore biocultural understandings and embodied practices relating to maternal, fetal and infant bodies and the significance for early life development and overall population well-being. This is particularly topical because there is a burgeoning awareness within anthropology regarding the centrality of mother-infant interactions for understanding the evolution of our species, infant and maternal health and care strategies, epigenetic change, and biological and social development. Over the past few decades the anthropology and archaeology of childhood has developed apace, however, infancy, the pregnant body and motherhood continue to be marginalised. The aim of this workshop is to develop new theoretical directions within anthropology and set future research agendas regarding the unique mother-infant relationship. We will achieve this aim through two inter-related objectives: 1) Our targeted invitation of participants who are leaders in different sub-disciplines of anthropology and beyond, whose research is breaking new methodological and theoretical ground in investigating mother-infant relationships and; 2) To assess a series of inter-related research topics/themes through multiple anthropological approaches in order to develop a holistic biocultural understanding of the mother-infant relationship and broader implications for population well-being. Outputs will include an edited volume, 'The Mother-Infant Nexus in Anthropology: Small Beginnings, Significant Outcomes' with Springer, a collaborative Major Article for Current Anthropology, and dissemination via major forms of social media.
Uploads
In a context with strong rhetorical support for breastfeeding in the health system, yet extremely low rates of breastfeeding after hospital discharge, UK women’s decisions about infant feeding reflect the reality of competing priorities in their lives, including obtaining adequate sleep. Popular wisdom in the UK tightly links breastfeeding and inadequate night-time sleep. Mothers are advised by peers and family to introduce formula or solid foods to infants to promote longer sleep.
Objectives
The first objective of this study was to investigate women’s understandings of the nature of infant sleep and their perceptions of links between infant feeding method and sleep. The second was to explore how these perceptions influence infant feeding and sleep practices. Underpinning our work is the understanding that infant care choices result from trade-offs by which mothers strive to balance infant- and self-care.
Methods
We conducted seven focus groups with mothers of infants in two regions of the UK. Verbatim transcripts were thematically coded and emergent themes were identified.
Results
We found clearly diverging narratives between breastfeeding and formula-feeding mothers. Breastfeeding mothers viewed the fragmentary nature of infant sleep as natural, while mothers who were formula feeding felt this was a problem to be fixed.
Conclusions and Practice
The strategies used to promote infant and maternal sleep in each group were aligned with their underlying perception of how infant sleep works. Maternal perceptions of the nature of infant sleep and its relation to infant feeding method impact infant care practices in the first year of life.
through two inter-related objectives: 1) Our targeted invitation of participants who are leaders in different sub-disciplines of
anthropology and beyond, whose research is breaking new methodological and theoretical ground in investigating mother-infant
relationships and; 2) To assess a series of inter-related research topics/themes through multiple anthropological approaches in order to develop a holistic biocultural understanding of the mother-infant relationship and broader implications for population well-being. Outputs will include an edited volume, 'The Mother-Infant Nexus in Anthropology:
Small Beginnings, Significant Outcomes' with Springer, a collaborative Major Article for Current Anthropology, and dissemination via major forms of social media.