Mothers and medicine : a social history of infant feeding, 1890-1950 / / Rima D. Apple

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910826153003321
• Autore: Apple Rima D (Rima Dombrow), <1944->
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Madison, Wis. : , : University of Wisconsin Press, , 1987
• ISBN: 0-299-11483-X; 9786612268861; 1-282-26886-4
• Edizione: [1st ed.]
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (xv, 261 pages) : illustrations
• Collana: Wisconsin publications in the history of science and medicine ; ; no. 7
• Disciplina: 362.1/9892
• Soggetti: Breastfeeding - United States - History - 19th century; Breastfeeding - United States - History - 20th century; Infants - Nutrition - United States - History - 19th century; Infants - Nutrition - United States - History - 20th century; Mothers - United States - History - 19th century; Mothers - United States - History - 20th century; Physician and patient - United States - History - 19th century; Physician and patient - United States - History - 20th century; Physicians - United States - History - 19th century; Physicians - United States - History - 20th century
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliography (p. 247-251) and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Intro -- Contents -- Table and Figures -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction. Infant Feeding in the Nineteenth Century -- I. "The Grand Prerogative of Woman -- Part One. Infant-Feeding Theories and Infant-Food Products -- II "Establishing the Rules for Substitute Feeding," 1890-1915 -- III "A Rational Means of Feeding the Baby," 1915-1950 -- Part Two. Infant Feeding in Medical Practice -- IV "For Humanity's Sake," 1890-1910 -- V "Under the Supervision of the Physician," 1910-1950 -- Part Three. Scientific Motherhood -- VI "The Noblest Profession," 1890-1920 -- VII "The Doctor Should Decide," 1920-1950 -- Part Four. Mothers and Infant-Feeding Practices -- VIII "A Word of Comfort," 1890-1920 -- IX "Count on Bottles," 1920-1950 -- ; Conclusion. Infant Feeding in the Twentieth Century -- X "According to Your Own Preferences -- Journal Abbreviations -- Notes -- Bibliographic Essay -- Index.
• Sommario/riassunto: In the nineteenth century, infants were commonly breast-fed; by the middle of the twentieth century, women typically bottle-fed their babies on the advice of their doctors. In this book, Rima D. Apple discloses and analyzes the complex interactions of science, medicine, economics, and culture that underlie this dramatic shift in infant-care practices and women's lives. As infant feeding became the keystone of the emerging specialty of pediatrics in the twentieth century, the manufacture of infant food became a lucrative industry. More and more mothers reported difficulty in nursing their babies. While physicians were establishing themselves and the scientific experts and the infant-food industry was hawking the scientific bases of their products, women embraced "scientific motherhood," believing that science could shape child care practices. The commercialization and medicalization of infant care established an environment that made bottle feeding not only less feared by many mothers, but indeed "natural" and "necessary." Focusing on the history of infant feeding, this book clarifies the major elements involved in the complex and sometimes contradictory interaction between women and the medical profession, revealing much about the changing roles of mothers and physicians in American society.