Emily Nelson
Pronouns: She/Her
Research Mentor(s): Victoria Langland
Co-Presenter: Helme, Helena
Research Mentor School/College/Department: History/Romance Languages and Literatures / LSA
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 1 – 10am – 10:50am
Room: League Ballroom
Authors:
Presenter: 86
Abstract
Many mothers around the world do not have the ability to produce enough milk for their newborns. Historically, there were also some that chose not to, for a variety of reasons. As a result, alternative sources such as infant formulas were used. However, these substitutes cannot replicate the nutritional benefits of human milk, and were inaccessible at times. By researching Brazil’s history with breastfeeding, one can begin to learn how the nation grappled with this broad issue. The first practice: wet nursing. People used to think that this approach, which began under slavery, ended soon after the 1888 abolition, but this research project shows its continuity throughout the twentieth century (albeit in reduced numbers). This academic year has been dedicated to reading through thousands of wet nurse ads from newspapers in Brazil’s (digital) Biblioteca Nacional and inputting the data in Airtable. Some components of the data recorded are a transcription, the date, what particular newspaper is cited, the race of the wet nurse, etc. This information has given context to the social and cultural significance of wet nursing and will help us understand the role that wet nursing played in infant health, while also exhibiting the racialized expectations of female labor. Additionally, the work will be used as a timeline to display how Brazil shifted from wet nurses to human milk banking. These findings have the potential to make an enormous impact on the way human milk banking is carried out in the United States and other countries. By using Brazil’s methods as a model, a surge in community efforts could reduce infant mortality rates.
Public Health
