Milk

When Joanna Wolfarth was pregnant with her first child, she assumed she would breastfeed, as her mother had fed her. Yet she was unprepared for the startling realities of new motherhood. Then, just four weeks after the birth, she found herself back in hospital with an underweight baby, bewildered by inconsistent advice and overcome with feelings of guilt and isolation. Months later, her cultural historian’s impulse led her to look to the past for guidance. What she discovered, neglected in the archives, amazed and reassured her. By piecing together cultural debris, Joanna began to understand how feeding our babies can be culturally, economically and physiologically determined, as well as deeply personal and emotive. Joanna charts previously unexplored territory and offers comfort and solace to anyone who has fed or will feed a child.