breastfeeding — Blog — Sage Perspectives Blog

Maternity Protection Policy in South Africa: A Fragmented State of Affairs

Comprehensive maternity protection refers to a set of entitlements that should be available to all working women during pregnancy, around the time of childbirth and while breastfeeding. We investigated the components of comprehensive maternity protection available and accessible to non-standard workers in the Western Cape, using domestic workers as a case study. The first phase of this research was a policy analysis of maternity protection available in South Africa, which we have described as fragmented, complicated, disorganised, dispersed, and lacking coherence.

Enabling breastfeeding through the lens of gender affirmation

In my work as a primary care provider with expertise in gender-affirming health care, I recently had the gratifying opportunity to help my patient, a transgender woman, in her goal of breastfeeding her newborn baby. The patient felt it “would be a wonderful, personal experience, and it would be a great help for my partner,” who was carrying the pregnancy.

ResearchMaria Pia TissotJuly 27, 2023breastfeeding, transgender women, trans healthcare

Associations between Mothers’ Adverse Childhood Experiences, Material Hardship, and Breastfeeding Challenges in the United States

Most people have heard the phrase, “breast is best,” and are aware of at least some of the superior health benefits that breastfeeding provides. While most mothers attempt and intend to breastfeed, it is often just not that easy. An additional problem is that many mothers then experience shame and personal or societal blame for not breastfeeding according to recommendations.