Why the Politics of Breastfeeding Matter
Gabrielle Palmer
2016
In this updated and condensed version of her seminal work, Gabrielle Palmer explores how breastfeeding is deeply affected by economics, gender inequality, marketing, and public policy. With clarity and urgency, she outlines how global and local systems often work against breastfeeding success — and what must change to protect infant feeding rights.
Why It’s Included:
This edition distills Palmer’s decades of advocacy into a concise, accessible format. It’s a brilliant resource for anyone new to infant feeding politics, offering vital insight into why individual choices are so often constrained by structural barriers. It aligns with our commitment to informed choice, equity, and systemic support for breastfeeding families.
Who It’s For:
Perfect for breastfeeding counsellors, students, midwives, and new parents who want to understand the bigger picture — without reading a full-length textbook. Also ideal for sharing with community advocates and policymakers.
“Palmers iconic 1988 book The Politics of Breastfeeding was groundbreaking and one might have hoped there would be no need to revisit the topic in 2016. Yet, if anything, the global formula manufacturing and marketing industry have almost thumbed their noses at the concerns raised and created new ways to exploit parental fears and anxieties. This book is an update we wish we didn’t need”
Further Reading:
The Politics of Breastfeeding – Gabrielle Palmer (original edition)
Lactivism – Courtney Jung
