Politics of Breastfeeding.

I have chosen this title for my first seminar presentation. I think I have bitten off more than I can chew, as I will need more than 15/20 minutes to cover this and certainly more than 1500 words for the back up essay!
I am hoping to concentrate on the reason the breastfeeding rates have fallen particularly in developing countries in relation to aggressive marketing methods used by the likes of Nestle, but am worried about it turning into a rant against Nestle.. which I don't mind doing but am sure my tutors won't be too happy with. So I need to put across a balanced view.
Can anyone point me in the right direction of some positive reasons for artificial feeding in developing countries. Am thinking HIV/AIDS may be a reason? Any others? Any documents/articles I can read up on.
Thanks for any input.

I really have bitten off more than I can chew then ..lol.
Thanks anyway. Seeing my module leader tomorrow so I'm sure she will have some pointers.

Hey freefall

Thanks for posting. It is a tough topic I can see why people havent replied as its quite a brain teaser! We are taught so much about BF but not that much about botF except how to make them up etc.

Specific reasons for artificial milk in dev countries - tough one, I agree about HIV/aids and tbh I cant think of any others except for babies that wont take to the breast or have cleft lip/palate or any other reason why they wont take.

I have come accross women in practice with such bad PND that they just cannot breastfeed thier baby, I guess this may be the case the world over, but then again in dev countries sisters and friends will breastfeed another baby so I guess that cancels that out........

Let us know what you come up with after talking to your tutor as its a remarkable subject to pick and incredibly interesting

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Hi Freefall,

What about lack of staff in maternity units therefore women don't get the support and advice they require and its easier for the staff to provide formula.

Feeding difficulties such as tongue tie where it easier to give a bottle than to try and find why theres a problem and then someone to treat it.

The lack of education provided to girls of school age about the benefits of breast feeding.

Pressure from relatives (mother/mother-inlaw) who had children in the bottle feeding era 60's 70's ("it never did my child any harm").

Ecconomic pressures were women have to return to work because thay can't afford to have time off due to the high cost of living in this country.

High rates of morbidity in develpoed countries mean high rates of medication and are therefore possibly contra indicated when breast feeding. Trying to get advice about contra indications is also difficult.

Just some random ideas

Just noticed you said positive reasons for artifical feeding, I never did learn to read the question, sorry.

Although some of the above could still be used especially the contra indications from medication as its no longer seen as ethical to test on pregnant women.

Artifical feeding also allows women to go back to work earlier if they wish they no longer have to fulfill the traditional role model.

What about those women who have had breast surgery and are unble to produce breastmilk for their baby.

Babies on formula often sleep for longer and lack of sleep in mothers has been linked to puerperal psychosis (Sharma, V. (2003) Role of sleep loss in the causation of puerperal psychosis. Medical Hypotheses, 61 (4), pp. 477-481.).

Are more children taken into care in developing countries?

Thank you for your ideas, I really appreciate them and will certainly look into and include a lot of what has been mentioned.
My tutor is impressed with what I have so far, and given me some other ideas, because of the small word count she is happy for me to concentrate on the HIV issue for formula feeding and has pointed me to a couple of sources. Am looking forward to getting stuck into this properly now I know where I am going with it .

I got to say that 1500 is very limited and therefore obviously restricts your discussion of the topic. You should be allowed 5% under or over on the wordage but that only gives you 75 extra words. Good luck.