UNC School of Public Health - 2009 Breastfeeding and Feminism: From birthplace to workplace

Breastfeeding is a public health imperative and an important aspect of reproductive health, as well as a reproductive right and a social and biological process;
Women must have the right of self-determination to breastfeed freely and without constraint;
It is important to re-orient the paradigm in which breastfeeding is viewed as a "lifestyle choice" to a paradigm in which it is a "human right" and a "social justice issue" so as to ensure the social, economic and political conditions necessary to promote success; and
Women's decisions to breastfeed should not result in the loss of their economic security or any rights or privileges to which they are otherwise entitled.

The 2009 symposium brings a feminist lens to ensuring the social, economic and political conditions necessary to secure breastfeeding for all women from the birthplace to the workplace. Working together in a transdisciplinary manner, with social scientists, health workers, lactation and feminist advocates, employers, and policy makers, we will create a policy agenda for action.

We are now accepting abstracts for poster presentations that describe relevant research, programs or policies.

If you would be interested in having your research or program considered for poster presentation, please send your abstract to Paige Smith at phsmith@uncg.edu or cwhw@uncg.edu. (336.334.4735)

Please organize your abstract as follows: Author(s) Names; affiliation and email and phone contact; Funding source if applicable; Title; Background and Purpose; Methods or activities; Results; Discussion; Conclusions

NOTE: The abstract should be no more than 400 words. Please double-space using at least an 11 point font. Poster presenters must be registered for the symposium. Posters may be no bigger than 4x6'; it must be able to be hung from a wall using blue painter's tape.

Venue:

Elliot University Center
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC

Hotel Accommodations:

Reduced-rate accommodations are available at the Greensboro Marriott Downtown

Directions:

Directions to UNCG Oakland Avenue Parking Deck

Directions from Marriott-Downtown

Speakers from multiple disciplines, to include:

Sarah Amin, Co-director, WABA; Gender and Maternity Protection Action Kit
Cathy Carothers, co-director of EVERY MOTHER, INC; The Business Case for Breastfeeding
Deborah Cassidy, Human Development and Family Studies, UNCG; Child care accessibility and quality
Miriam Labbok, Professor, UNC-CH; Evolutionary, biological and economic perspectives on mothering and maternity leave
Jake Marcus, Public Interest Lawyer; Breastfeeding, Reproduction and the Law
Beth Olson, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University; Work culture and breastfeeding
Ana Parilla, University of Puerto Rico; Medicalization of Birth as Violence against Women
Marian Ruderman, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro; Emerging research on work-family balance
Christina Smillie, creator of the "Mother-Baby Dance" materials
Paige Hall Smith, Director, Center for Women's Health and Wellness, UNCG; Women's experiences with breastfeeding and work
Emily Taylor, Carolina Breastfeeding Institute; Achieving Exclusive Breastfeeding
Mary Rose Tully, Director, Lactation Services, UNC Hospital; 42 days of intimacy
Alison Stuebe, Director MTM, UNC Healthcare; Transitioning home
Penny Van Esterik, York University, Toronto (KEYNOTE); Global, feminist and anthropological perspectives on motherhood

Agenda (tentative)

Hosted by:

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro,
Center for Women's Health and Wellness

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Carolina Breastfeeding Institute

Hosts have applied for credits

Still have questions? Email cwhw@uncg.edu

Last updated February 12, 2009