Using Goffman’s Theories of Social Interaction to Reflect First-Time Mothers’ Experiences With the Social Norms of Infant Feeding
Abstract
Infant feeding, particularly breastfeeding, is an important public health issue because early feeding methods have been shown to influence health throughout childhood. We investigated how social norms influence first-time mothers' decisions around feeding methods. We conducted two in-depth interviews with 11 first-time mothers, the first 3 weeks after birth and the second 3 months following birth. We analyzed interview data using a third-level, thematic analysis, using Goffman's theories of social interaction to guide our analysis. Our results highlighted several issues surrounding breastfeeding in modern society. We propose that nursing mothers are conscious of adhering to social norms of being a good mother, but must also cope with societal views about presenting normal appearances when they need to feed their babies in public.
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Among families facing poverty-related stressors, stronger and more present maternal social support networks are associated with healthier infant feeding, especially breastfeeding.
“In families with poverty-related stressors, the increased presence and strength of maternal social support networks have been associated with healthy infant feeding practices, particularly breastfeeding (Bai et al., 2016; Brouwer et al., 2012; Souza et al., 2016).”
From Infant Feeding Practices and Social Support Networks Among Immigrant Chinese American Mothers With Economic Disadvantage in New York City (2023) · cites this paper as Brouwer et al., 2012
Possible mechanisms connecting maternal social support networks to health behavior models include whether meeting maternal needs raises maternal self-efficacy, or whether family and friends create social norms that support or oppose particular infant feeding practices.
“Potential mechanisms linking maternal social support networks to models of health behavior include whether meeting maternal needs increases maternal self-efficacy (De Sousa Machado et al., 2020), or whether family and friends generate social norms that reinforce or oppose certain infant feeding practices (Brouwer et al., 2012).”
From Infant Feeding Practices and Social Support Networks Among Immigrant Chinese American Mothers With Economic Disadvantage in New York City (2023) · cites this paper as Brouwer et al., 2012
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References 59 · Cited by 28
- Authors
- Brouwer, M. A., Drummond, C., & Willis, E.
- Affiliations
- Flinders University (AU)
- Venue
- Qualitative Health Research
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-07-11
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1345-1354
- ISSN
- 1049-7323 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7557
- OpenAlex
- W2158412123
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 59
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Qualitative Health Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Infant Nutrition and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Keywords
- infant feeding, breastfeeding, social norms, primiparous women, Erving Goffman, social interaction, public breastfeeding, motherhood
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Australia, Breast Feeding, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant Food, Interpersonal Relations, Mothers, Psychological Theory, Social Control, Informal, Social Identification, Stereotyping, Qualitative Research, Young Adult
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