Advantages of breastfeeding include, but are not limited to, defending against infections, preventing allergies, and protecting against multiple chronic diseases. Multiple studies have been conducted over the past fifty years which have proved that breastfeeding results in a variety of advantages for one’s child. For example, Bener, Denic, and Galadari’s study, “Longer breast-feeding and protection against childhood leukemia and lymphomas,” compared 117 healthy children with 117 children who were either suffering with acute lymphocytic leukemia or lymphoma to see if breastfeeding affected these diseases (Bener, Et. Al. 235.). The study proved that children who were breastfed for more than six months were 2.97% less likely to produce a lymphoid malignancy than those who were breastfed for less than six months (Bener, Et. Al. 235.). Another study, “Risk of Overweight Among Adolescents Who Were Breastfed as Infants,” was conducted to see if there was any correlation between overweight children and breastfeeding. This study surveyed 8,186 girls and 7,155 boys from ages 9 to 14 and found that babies who were not breastfed for the first six months were 22% more likely to be overweight from the ages of 9 to 14 (Gillman, Et. Al. 2461.). Studies like these prove that breastfeeding does provide an infant with a wide range of benefits. 

Despite all of the data which proves the benefits of breastfeeding, many mothers still bottle-feed instead of breastfeed. This is due to a variety of reasons. Some mothers are physically unable to breastfeed due to them either not producing any or not enough milk for their infant. However, other mothers do not breastfeed due to either their family, peers, or the media influencing them not to. Social aspects like lack of support, attitudes toward breastfeeding, and stereotypes about women—such as women being sexualized—make it more difficult for mothers in the United States to breastfeed.

Many are unable to breastfeed, not because they are physically incapable, but because they do not have time or enough financial support.  The Family and Medical Leave Act requires an employer with 50 or more workers to offer 12 weeks of unpaid leave, plus health benefits, after the birth or adoption of a new child (“Family and Medical Leave Act.”). Unfortunately, approximately 40% of workers are excluded from this Act due to it only applying to companies with 50 workers or more (Aleccia.) Some women are only offered 2 weeks of maternity leave. Moreover, many women do not take a 12 week leave because they cannot afford to go unpaid with a new child for that long. Also, if a woman is working in a competitive and fast-paced field they cannot afford to leave their job for a long period of time due to them feeling as though it will hold them back in the future progressing in their job. 

Annie Urban in her journal article, “Social Barriers to Breastfeeding,” discusses the points that there is poor access to breast pumps and few to none workplaces which support breastfeeding (Urban.). Many women do not have access to healthcare and therefore do not have access to qualified lactation professionals or sufficient breast pumps. Some mothers need specific breast pumps to help maintain or increase lactate supply (Urban.). When these needs are not met, mothers are forced to not breastfeed. The issue is created of how mothers will use a pump at work with many women not having sufficient maternity leave or are forced to cut their leave short. The average mother needs to pump eight to twelve times a day to have full milk production. Full milk production is the maximum amount of milk a mother aims to pump off a day which typically consists of 25 to 35 ounces of breastmilk a day (“Breast Pumping Guide: When and How Long to Pump.”). When a mother does not reach full milk production consistently then over time her body will slowly stop to produce as much milk until it has stopped producing milk completely (“Breast Pumping Guide: When and How Long to Pump.”). Not every workplace allows mothers the time to pump during work or provide facilities to do so. This results in many mothers not breastfeeding.  

Numerous mothers in the United States want to breastfeed but after three months more than two-thirds of breastfeeding mothers end up stopping (Shell. 15.). The United States government in 2011 recognized that breastfeeding, specifically while working, has become difficult for many mothers (Shell. 15.). The government took action by publishing the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding. This publication was produced to advocate for breastfeeding (Shell. 15.). The document analyzes all aspects of breastfeeding and presents 20 specific key steps any United States citizen can take to address breastfeeding barriers in society (Shell. 15.). The goal of this document was to mobilize citizens—families, communities, and employers— to participate in improving support for breastfeeding mothers and their babies (Shell. 16.). 

The Surgeon General’s publication was predicted to increase public participation, reduce health care inequities mothers and babies receive, and increase the support mothers and families receive in work and social settings. The “Five-Year Progress Update on the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding” by Erica H. Antsey, Carol A. MacGowan, and Jessica A. Allen proves there has been positive change in the United States as a result of this publication. As a result of there being progressive steps made for breastfeeding since the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding, it is clear that social aspects do affect breastfeeding because if they did not then there would have been no change since the publication. The “Five-Year Progress Update on the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding” examines any federal activity that displays progress toward resolving the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding within the five years it was released (Anstey, Et. Al. 768.). 

Just five years after the Surgeon General’s publication being released there were clear increases in mothers breastfeeding. Also, society itself started to take action to advocate for breastfeeding too: local health departments were funded to provide professional support for lactation and the Department of Labor awarded paid leave grants to eight states for family and medical leave programs (Anstey, Et. Al. 768.). Both of these changes and more accounted for improving the number of mothers breastfeeding. According to the “Five-Year Progress Update on the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding,” from 2010 to 2012 the percent of mothers who started off breastfeeding increased by 3.3% and who breastfeed exclusively for the first six months increased by 4.7% (Anstey, Et. Al. 769.). Even the percent of live births occurring in facilities which provide recommended care for lactating mothers increased by 2.44% from 2010 to 2012 (Anstey, Et. Al. 769.). This progress update makes is apparent how much social aspects affect breastfeeding. There has been an increase in support for mothers to breastfeed after the publication was released; however, more work remains (Anstey, Et. Al. 774.).  

Attitudes toward breastfeeding and lack of support for breastfeeding result in mothers not breastfeeding. This is clear when the number of mothers who breastfeed increase over the course of five years after a major United States government document regarding advocating for breastfeeding is released. Unfortunately, stereotypes negatively impact breastfeeding mothers too. Stereotypes influence mother not to breastfeed every day. Stereotypes are defined as a basic and consistent image held for a specific group (Endendijk, Et. Al. 577.). Stereotypes affect everyone, especially women. Many stereotypes about women consist of women being viewed as naïve, dependent, and as sexual objects (Endendijk, Et. Al. 583.). These stereotypes about women are portrayed in everyday encounters. One can see stereotypes about women presented in social media, in the entertainment industry, and in literature (Endendijk, Et. Al. 586.). 

Stereotypes do not always have to include people, they can include objects, like breasts, or actions, like breastfeeding, too. Breasts are often considered to be a sexual object. Many women who are sexualized, show a large amount of their breasts. Notably, American society is obsessed with sexualizing breasts (Shaw.). This is clear in American media, literature, and culture. Jessica Rabbit in Disney’s film Who Censored Roger Rabbit? is an example of this; she was nothing but a sex icon in the film (Raymond.). Jessica Rabbit showed a large amount of her breasts throughout the entire movie and she was mainly a sex icon (Raymond.). Also, Marilyn Monroe was viewed as a sex icon throughout the fifties and sixties (Rudnick. 128.). Many adored her for her body; she had large breasts, a small waist, and large hips (Rudnick. 128.). Marilyn Monroe flaunted her body in numerous photographs by displaying much of her breasts (Rudnick. 128.). Nearly all American female sex icons are idolized for their breasts in some sort of way. Whereas in other countries, like Sweden, their society does not have as much of a sexual emphasis on breasts. Malin Akerman is one of the most well-known actors in Sweden (Lofgren.). Like Kim Kardashian in America, Malin Akerman is a name known in almost every household in Sweden and is viewed by many as a sex image (Lofgren.). However, unlike Kim Kardashian, Malin Akerman does not have large breasts. This proves that Sweden in comparison to the United States does not have as excessive of an obsession with sexualizing breasts. As a result, more mothers in Sweden breastfeeding. In 2009 nearly 55% of babies in Sweden were complimentary breastfed at six months, in comparison to the 44% of babies born in the United States were (“A Comparison of Breastfeeding Rates by Country.”). This statistic makes is clear that when a society does not sexual breasts as much, mothers are more likely to breastfeed.

Many women are shamed for breastfeeding in public which is due to the stereotypes surrounding breasts. Often when a mother breastfeeds in public, people, both men and women, shout nasty comments like, “no one wants to see that,” or even sometimes make sexual comments to the mother. Cindy Stearns in her article, “Breastfeeding and the Good Maternal Body,” explains a series of interviews she conducted on 51 breastfeeding women over the course of one year (Stearns. 310.). Through these interviews she found that most of her subjects were cautious when breastfeeding in public (Stearns. 311.). They stressed that they always try to be as discreet and show as little breast as possible. If they are not discreet, many claimed there is often a hostile environment (Stearns. 312.). A breastfeeding-mother’s goal is to be unseen. Nearly all of the mothers interviewed admitted that when breastfeeding in public they were approached with unsought advice on when and where it is appropriate to breastfeed (Stearns. 312.). Often, they receive stares towards their breasts from men passing by (Stearns. 312.). Many mothers prefer to breastfeed in a dressing room or their car than to be seen in public. Also, working mothers run into the dilemma of worrying about how pumping at work will affect their professional profile (Stearns. 312.). 

Breast milk is the most nutritious source of food for a newborn baby (“Breastfeeding Vs Bottle Feeding.”). Despite the health benefits of breastfeeding, social aspects and stereotypes leave countless mothers in the United States to make the choice to not breastfeed their infant. Attitudes toward breastfeeding and lack of support are influencing mothers to not breastfeed. Breastfeeding is not an activity a mother can perform at her leisure; she has to be able to pump off or breastfeed multiple times throughout the day. This is an issue for working mothers. Many work-places do not support breastfeeding by not providing their working mothers with a pace to pump. However, over the past ten years the United States government has noted the issues for breastfeeding mothers and has taken action to advocate for these mother’s support through publications such as, the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding. Publications like these have been proven to lead to more women breastfeeding. If social aspects did not affect mothers breastfeeding negatively then publications like, the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding, would not result in statistically more mothers breastfeeding. Unfortunately, social aspects are not the only element that affects breastfeeding. 

 United States’ society establishes women’s bodies as sexual. This label is clear through America’s culture. Nearly every sexual icon in the United States is praised for their breast in some sort of way. Over time, this creates the stereotype of breast being viewed as a sexual object. Mothers inevitably feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public due to it attracting sexual glazes, comments, and unwanted opinions. The attitudes towards breastfeeding, lack of support, and society’s sexual obsession over breasts discourages numerous mothers to not breastfeed. This results in many infants growing up with disadvantages. 
