Ep. 15: Prof. Amy Brown on why breastfeeding is championed but not supported
On the podast this week I am joined by academic and author Professor Amy Brown. Amy has dedicated the last fifteen years to breastfeeding research, specifically looking at the psychological, cultural and societal barriers to breastfeeding. As well as publishing over 100 papers on breastfeeding, she’s also the author of several books including ‘The Positive Breastfeeding Book’, ‘Breastfeeding Uncovered’ and ‘Why Breastfeeding Grief and Trauma Matter’. I wanted to pick Amy’s brain about a number of breastfeeding matters – including society’s lack of regard for breastfeeding and why breastfeeding grief and trauma exist. Whilst most of us get the message during pregnancy that breastfeeding is a fantastic thing to do and we should all be doing it – the support and infrastructure to help women breastfeed is a long way off being where it needs to be. Due to generations of formula use, our breastfeeding knowledge amongst families and communities has been lost and we’re left struggling to find the right information and support to help us breastfeed. So how can professionals, friends and family and society as a whole do better to support a person to breastfeed? Listen to the episode to see all that Amy has to say, and to get an update on the latest edition of her book ‘Breastfeeding Uncovered‘.