Researcher Spotlight: Anna Kuznetsov

Anna Kuznetsov is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto. Within sociology, she is interested in the fields of health, gender, care, and social policy. In her dissertation, Anna will examine how women’s breastfeeding experiences are shaped by intensive mothering ideals and medicalization. Anna is a Research Assistant helping with the Care Economies in Context project.

How did you first become interested in your dissertation topic? 

My dissertation is focused on understanding women’s breastfeeding experiences from a sociological standpoint.* Although we are all unique and have unique experiences, a sociological lens allows us to see patterns in attitudes, emotions, and behaviours. Sociology also equips us to see how social structures and institutions, culture, and ideologies shape what we do and what happens to us.

With this introduction in mind, I became interested in breastfeeding as a social practice when I myself was breastfeeding . I became curious about breastfeeding rates and was surprised to learn that they fall below the targets set by public health organizations. In pregnancy and while my son was little, I also had discussions with mothers who had struggled with breastfeeding. I was taken aback by how much physical and emotional suffering these women had gone through in their attempts to make breastfeeding work. The emotional weight of these mothers’ stories has always stayed with me. In general, mothering and women’s care work are rhetorically valorized but in practice there is very little done in families and society more broadly to recognize, validate, and support women’s labour. My work on breastfeeding and mothering aims to change that.

*Gender inclusivity is important when discussing and researching this topic. I use the terms ‘women’ and ‘breastfeeding’ intentionally, because my research focuses primarily on the breastfeeding experiences of cis-gendered women. My methodology is not set up to capture the experiences of trans men and nonbinary parents who chestfeed, which are unique and would warrant a separate study.

What is something surprising that has emerged during your research? 

Understanding women’s experiences with breastfeeding provides a window into two social phenomena. First, breastfeeding very much corresponds with intensive mothering. Intensive mothering is an approach to parenting that centres children’s well-being, often at great cost to mothers. Breastfeeding, for many people, is hard to learn and maintain, and it is hard to combine with paid work. Second, breastfeeding and infant feeding, since the start of the 20^th century, have been medicalized. This means that medicine as a social institution has had increasing power to define and shape infant feeding discourse and practices.

Several surprises have come up in the course of my research, but one of them is the extent to which I myself had trouble recognizing the power of intensive mothering ideals and public health discourse around breastfeeding. It is natural to think that, as parents, we want to do the best for our children, and that scientific authorities have the right ideas around how to achieve the best outcomes for our children. But discourse and social structures are not neutral and there are often hidden values and assumptions that underlie them. For example, the common refrain in breastfeeding discourse is that “breast is best.” But we should interrogate the circumstances under which breast really is best, the extent to which breastfeeding is better than formula feeding, and, perhaps most importantly, on whom the responsibility for making breastfeeding work falls. Public health systems and social policies in Canada and elsewhere promote breastfeeding rhetorically but don’t do enough to support it practically. Breastfeeding is also stigmatized in public, so, while it’s considered best from a medical standpoint, the reality is that many women feel they cannot or should not breastfeed in front of others. All of these factors are not often discussed publicly and women are left to navigate breastfeeding alone, shouldering all the pressure and responsibility for getting infant feeding “right.”

What challenges have you encountered through your research, and what kinds of policies are required for addressing them? 

Having outlined some of the issues I’ve found as they relate to breastfeeding and mothering more broadly, several approaches could be implemented:

First, parents need valid and reliable information on the benefits and challenges of breastfeeding and formula feeding. Medicine shouldn’t “overhype” breastfeeding, and parents shouldn’t feel like formula feeding is going to ruin their children’s health or life outcomes. Balanced, accurate information is important.

Second, we absolutely should do all we can to support breastfeeding when this is chosen by parents. Giving out pamphlets with information or providing one in-hospital visit by a lactation consultant is not enough. Everyone, regardless of location or income, should have timely, convenient, and high-quality access to skilled lactation support.

Third, parents require comprehensive supports in the early postpartum period. Breastfeeding is more likely to work when the nursing parent has emotional and practical supports. Family members, partners, community and health organizations, and governments all have a role to play.

Finally, and this is not an overnight fix, but we should normalize and celebrate all forms of infant feeding. Anyone, regardless of feeding method, should feel welcome in public spaces.

What advice do you have for students who are interested in doing research that takes up themes that are similar to yours? 

Unfortunately, in academia, there is pressure to produce research publications quickly. I would suggest trying to resist this pressure. Social issues are complex and to understand them well it takes a lot of research and reflection. In the research process, it’s important to gather different perspectives on an issue. This applies both to the academic literature and media one consults (aim for diversity in fields and types of publications) and the methodology and data one uses (ideally, have samples of sufficient size and diversity and employ mixed methods, like interviews combined with an analysis of social media posts, for example). My other tip is to remember why you got started on your research in the first place. Research takes time and effort, and it is easy to lose focus and motivation in the process. If, like many researchers, you are motivated by a desire to contribute to fixing a social problem, then remember this goal and it’ll help you produce the best research you can. Finally, have confidence, but also humility, and don’t hesitate to reach out to others for feedback and support. Two or more heads are better than one!