Motherhood, breastfeeding and identity

Abstract

Breastfeeding becomes part of a woman's identity as she enters the journey into motherhood. As women face the challenge of balancing the care of a new baby with the rest of life they come across many different ideas about the qualities of a 'good mother' from within their social networks. Throughout their journey into motherhood women weigh up information about breastfeeding in relation to this as they decide what to do. This article identifies the kinds of knowledge women draw on that reinforce their idea of themselves as 'good mothers' and the implications of this for midwifery practice.